Man charged with capital murder for shooting death of Dallas tattoo shop owner
Kenneth Brown, 24 (Source: Dallas County Jail)
DALLAS - A Dallas County arrest warrant has revealed new details regarding the fatal shooting of a tattoo shop owner during a January robbery attempt in Oak Cliff.
Arrest made in Legendary Ink murder
What we know:
Kenneth Wayne Brown Jr., 24, was booked into the Dallas County Jail on Feb. 6, exactly one month after the shooting death of 27-year-old Just Smith-Gibbs. Brown is charged with capital murder for an offense described in court documents as occurring during an attempted aggravated robbery.
Just Smith-Gibbs, 27
Dig deeper:
According to an affidavit filed by Dallas Police Detective Ronald Kramer, officers responded to a shooting call at approximately 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 6, at Smith-Gibbs’ business, Legendary Ink, located at 2908 E. 11th St.
Investigators allege that Brown was watching the business and waiting for Smith-Gibbs to arrive. As Smith-Gibbs and a witness began walking up an exterior stairwell to the shop, Brown allegedly pulled into the parking lot in a rental vehicle, exited the car, and demanded "bands"—street terminology for stacks of money.
Suspect at large after deadly exchange of gunfire at Oak Cliff tattoo shop
The owner of Legendary Ink in Dallas was killed after an exchange of gunfire with an armed suspect Tuesday night.
The confrontation moved inside the tattoo shop, where Smith-Gibbs was shot multiple times. Before succumbing to his injuries, Smith-Gibbs managed to retrieve an AR-15-style pistol and return fire, striking the suspect's getaway vehicle several times. Brown then allegedly abandoned the vehicle and a cell phone at the scene and fled on foot.
The evidence:
Police linked Brown to the crime through the cell phone found in the car, as well as surveillance footage from a nearby gas station recorded minutes before the shooting. Footage showed a man matching Brown’s description wearing distinctive clothing, including black sweatpants with white stripes and white gloves. Additionally, ballistic evidence from the scene indicated that some of the fired cartridge casings likely came from a Taurus 9mm handgun, a type of weapon Brown was believed to have recently stolen from a family member.
The arrest warrant was signed on Jan. 12 by Dallas County Magistrate Kathleen Sprinkle. In addition to the capital murder charge, Brown faces a charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon, with a bond set at $10,000 for that offense.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Dallas County arrest warrant for Brown, and previous FOX 4 coverage.