DETROIT — A 19-year-old man accused of randomly gunning down four people, killing three, last weekend in Detroit was charged Wednesday.
Dontae Ramon Smith, 19, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder; five counts of carrying a firearm while committing a felony; one count of assault with intent to murder, and a count of torturing an animal, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
A dog was also shot during the shooting spree but survived.
“It is not an overstatement to say that on Sunday morning … this alleged defendant reigned real terror on the citizens of northwest Detroit. Normal, everyday life was brought to a standstill as he moved east to his next victim,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement.
Police believe Smith may be suffering from mental illness. Smith does not appear to have a violent criminal history, according to court records.
Smith was arrested Monday at his Detroit home without incident. His arrest followed a multi-agency search led by Detroit police, with help from surveillance footage, community members and someone close to the suspect who sent police a tip.
Ballistic analysis matched a 9mm gun recovered at Smith’s home to bullets found at the crime scenes, according to police.
Smith is accused of shooting his first victim at 4:45 a.m. near Seven Mile Road and Wyoming Avenue. A 28-year-old man, Chayne Lewis Lee, was approached and fatally shot multiple times with a 9 mm pistol, according to Detroit Police Cmdr. Michael McGinnis.
Police believe Smith walked away after firing at Lee, then walked back and fired more rounds at him, McGinnis said.
“His lifeless body was discovered lying in the doorway of a church by Detroit police officers,” Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Maria Miller said in a Wednesday news release.
Detroit police did not receive a 911 call for that incident, McGinnis said.
Police received the first call of shots fired about 30 minutes later and about three blocks away. Officers discovered an unidentified woman on the sidewalk, suffering from gunshot wounds. Police are seeking help from the community to identify the victim, described as a Black woman in her 40s who lives near Wyoming and Margareta avenues.
A third victim, LaRi Jobina Brisco, was gunned down while waiting for a ride at a nearby U-Haul rental location. She had plans to move that day. After firing multiple rounds at Brisco, Smith allegedly stepped away and fired additional shots into her.
Brisco is described by loved ones as a “a proud and dedicated single mother of five and grandmother to two,” according to a GoFundMe fundraising page created in her memory.
The final victim, John Palik, 76, was shot in the leg about 7:10 a.m., a few blocks from the U-Haul location. He was walking his dog, Kingston, who was shot in the paw. Both survived.