And while the Customs break-in was the biggest criminal event of the tenth holiday – by midnight the crime statistics spiked again with a murder. The story is familiar, young man on bicycle, shot fatally, and left dead on a south side street for no known reason. But that outline does not pencil in the details that can only be told by pictures and portrayals of grief. Keith Swift has more.
Keith Swift Reporting,
When 7News arrived on the scene at around 1 this morning, 24 year old Callin Smith’s body was already in the back of a police mobile. The black beach cruiser bike he was riding was still in the middle of the street next to a pool of blood - marking the spot where he was gunned down on Jasmine Street. His mother Lolita Smith thought her son was in his bed sleeping.
Lolita Smith, Adopted mother of murder victim
“Last night he went home at around quarter past 10 and he told me he was going to sleep. I told him okay and I am going because I have to go to work in the morning. He said okay mom and I watched him went into his room and shut the door because I stood by my door and he shut his door and went inside.
At about quarter to one my brother came home and told me where is my son. I told him he was in his house. He asked if I was sure and I told him yes I
am sure. He says to check. I went and I shoved open his door and when I shoved open his door he wasn’t in his house either. I said Jesus Christ Almighty where this boy went on my bike. My brother that it was him on Jasmine Street stakeout right now. I told him no, I don’t believe it; it is not him they killed.”
But it was 24 year old Callin (Colin) Smith. Witnesses heard gunshots after which a man on a beach cruiser bike was seen standing over smith’s body. That man then rode off in the direction of Mahogany Street – leaving Callin Smith to die in a pool of his own blood.
Cristobel Smith, Grandmother of murder victim
“One of my grandson came and he told me that they just shoot Callin. That is all I know, I know nothing else. They just shot him and he is dead.”
Lolita Smith,
“Everyday he sing to me and tell me, ‘I soon dead, one of these days I will go and won’t come back ma.’ I told him to stop talk foolishness to me, I don’t want to hear that simpleness but everyday he continued singing about he soon dead and that was it last night.”
Keith Swift,
“Why do you think he knew he was going to die?”
Lolita Smith,
“Well I asked why you tell me that you see dead and he says because a lot of men wanted him. I asked him for what and he said because he knew a lot of things and man and man feel like he would snitch on them and thing.”
Cristobel Smith,
“He doesn’t interfere with nobody. He doesn’t interfere with nobody. All he used to do was make noise all day like crazy man. He is not in gang or nothing.”
Callin Smith recently had spent time in jail for drug related charges. Both of his parents are dead and so for most of his life – Lolita Smith was the only mother Colin knew.
Lolita Smith,
“He gets into slight problems most of the time but he decided to change his life. He came out of jail last year September to December and he told he changed his life and he wanted to go back home with me to live. I told him okay as long as he doesn’t give me trouble. I took him into the yard and gave him a house, gave him everything in there, and I made him live in there until last night when he passed away.”
Keith Swift,
“What was he in jail for?”
Lolita Smith,
“Well he told me that he had been to jail for weed, he got busted with weed. I know that is his hustling, that is what I know about hi, he is always juggling his little weed and thing.”
But could there have been more? Callin Smith is the cousin of Brandon and Kareem Smith. They are the pair of notorious teen brothers charged for the May 2008 grenade blast.
Keith Swift,
“You think it is related?”
Cristobel Smith,
“I don’t think so.”
Lolita Smith,
“He live with me in my yard…he visited the family member house everyday.”
Keith Swift,
“You think it is related?”
Lolita Smith,
“I don’t know either.”
And we may never know since dead men don’t tell tales and as of now - no one else is speaking about the cruel late night execution.
The post mortem said that he died form a punctured lung. No arrests have been made.
