By Cynthia Koons
Detectives from the 109th Precinct arrested Shannon Smith, 24, of 34-20 137th St. in Flushing on charges of attempted murder Saturday after they flew to Burlington, Vt., where he was already in police custody on unrelated charges, to bring him home.
Smith was arrested in Vermont after the Drug Enforcement Agency and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms units executed a search warrant at his home in Burlington and found enough evidence to arrest him on drug charges, Lt. Patrick Wing of the 109th Precinct said Monday.
He was arrested March 31 in Vermont, after he was identified by witnesses as the prime suspect in a July 5, 2003 shooting in which he allegedly pulled an AK-47 on two men driving away from an argument at Latimer House projects on Linden Place, Wing said.
An AK-47 is the Eastern European and Chinese version of the M-16 weapon, which can shoot bullets up to two miles away.
The July 5 shooting involved a group of people on the street, including Smith, and two men in a car at 136-10 Linden Place at about 2:30 a.m., Wing said. When tempers flared, someone kicked the car and the driver turned the vehicle around when he was shot as well as his passenger.
Smith has been the main suspect since the shooting occurred, Wing said, ever since witnesses at the scene identified him as the gunman. He allegedly emerged from the crowd and shot at the driver and passenger as they were pulling away from the scene, police said.
“They were involved in a verbal dispute on the sidewalk,” Wing said. “This was just a silly dispute that escalated.”
One victim was shot in the lower back and taken to New York Hospital Queens in critical condition. The other victim was shot in the arm and brought to the same hospital in stable condition. Neither man died.
Information about Smith's arraignment was not available as of Tuesday.
Wing said Smith had an arrest record prior to the drug and shooting charges that have emerged in the past two months. Wing said he could not provide any details on Smith's previous arrest record.
The incident was not gang-related, according to officers.
Wing also said that with Smith's arrest, the 109th Precinct would close the case on the shooting.
Reach reporter Cynthia Koons by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 141.
