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It was supposed to be just a fight between two groups that involved a total of five males who were in their late teens or early 20s, according to city police investigators. "No guns would be used," according to court documents made public Friday.
However, moments after the fighting got underway at Memorial Avenue and Lloyd Street just before 3 p.m. on June 29, guns were drawn and there was an exchange of gunfire, resulting in fatal injuries to 18-year-old Nasir Kramer, of Williamsport, who died soon after arriving at UPMC Williamsport.
Also injured in the shooting was Kamaj Lee Smith, also 18, of 2329 Fairview Terrace, and a 17-year-old, investigators said. Both teens have recovered, and earlier this week, police charged Smith with four felonies and two misdemeanors stemming from his alleged involvement in the shooting. Investigators allege Smith brought a stolen handgun to the fight that he had in a backpack that also contained six bags, each containing "4.5 grams of marijuana packaged for distribution as well as a bag of eight pills suspected" to be ecstasy, it was stated in a criminal complaint.
Also in the group was Zyriece Walker, 23, who has been charged with allegedly firing the shots that killed Kramer. He fled the scene, but he was arrested at his girlfriend's home in the 300 block of Jordan Avenue in Montoursville on July 1. However, his arrest was kept secret until recently as all documents concerning his charges remain sealed by orders of a judge. Walker, a convicted felon, had a preliminary hearing on July 31 and was bound over on all charges. He remains in the Lycoming County Prison on no bail.
At the shooting scene, "Smith was not cooperative with police and was instead extremely antagonistic towards law enforcement officers who were rendering aid to the victims," an agent wrote in an affidavit. Despite being shot, Smith denied having any involvement in the shooting, police said.
Surveillance video captured Smith "holding a blue backpack" prior to the shooting, police said, Investigators said after Smith was shot, surveillance video recorded someone picking up the same backpack and taking it to a yard, where it was recovered by police minutes after the violence.
One of the juveniles who was among those in the two groups "agreed that no guns would be used. He handed his firearm over to Zyriece Walker and began fighting Smith. During the fight, Smith 'got dropped,' and was on the ground. At this time, both groups intervened. Zyriece then (allegedly) pulled a firearm out, which was followed by Nasir Kramer pulling out a firearm, and gunfire was exchanged," it was stated in the affidavit.
Smith was arraigned before District Judge Kirsten Gardner on felony charges of riot, carrying a firearm without a license, receiving stolen property and possession with intent to deliver marijuana and ecstasy. He is also charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, both misdemeanors. "While with four other people, Smith did engage in a disturbance that turned into a fight that resulted in several shots being fired" and the death of a teenager, investigators allege. He was jailed in lieu of $250,000 bail.