Fourth teen charged as youthful offender for June 4 shooting death

A fourth teen has been arrested for his role in the fatal shooting of a Lawton man June 4.

A felony arrest warrant was issued Wednesday in Comanche County District Court for Curtis Pelham Jr., 15, for a felony charge of use of vehicle in the discharge of a weapon, records indicate. The crime is punishable by between two years to life in prison.

Pelham joins Dwayne Smith Jr., 15; Demontez Mountain, 17; and Prince Kenneth Larry Krushall, 15; who were charged June 11 in receiving youthful offender charges of use of vehicle in the discharge of a weapon in the June 4 shooting death of Sir Daniel Smith, 23.

Another teen is being charged as a juvenile. Due to confidentiality of juvenile records, little is known about the teen’s involvement.

Smith was shot and killed around 7 p.m. June 4 in the 1100 block of Northwest Smith Avenue after being seen talking with people inside a gray SUV moments before the sound of several gunshots rang out, according to a witness.

Smith was found lying on the ground suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A neighbor’s security camera captured video of the vehicle driving away.

Police located the suspect vehicle, a silver Toyota Rav4, less than an hour after the shooting. Three individuals ran when police stopped the vehicle — Smith, Mountain and Prince Krushall — and were arrested, the probable cause affidavit states.

Mountain told Detective Xavier Evans he’d been riding in the rear cargo area of the SUV at the time of the shooting but said he didn’t know who fired the guns. After looking back and seeing Smith on the ground, he said he told the others, “I think you all just killed him,” the affidavit states.

Mountain said two people inside the SUV were dropped off at a home in the Lee West Addition and another dropped off at the Country Club Estates Addition before police stopped them. He identified Pelham in the vehicle and said that teen, along with Krushall, Dwayne Smith and another juvenile identified as “C.J.” as pulling up on Smith with guns drawn and confronting him.

“What up with that 5K (5 Killer)?” they said, according to Mountain. “I’ll smoke you right here.”

That’s when shots rang out, according to Mountain. He said among those shooting at Smith, Pelham used a Glock pistol to fire several rounds at Smith. He said the others in the SUV had weapons, including himself, but didn’t use them, the affidavit states.

Due to the violent nature of the allegations, the teens are being charged as youthful offenders, meaning they are held accountable as adults.

Investigators have said the teens are suspected of being affiliated with a Blood street gang set called “The 7” who are currently in a hostile situation with the Hoover Crips and could potentially serve as motive for the shooting. Smith was known to be affiliated with the Hoovers, according to investigators.

Smith, Mountain and Krushall are being held on $250,000 bond.

A $250,000 cash warrant bond was issued upon Pelham’s arrest.

Smith’s death is the city’s seventh via homicide this year, according to Constitution records.