Smothers
WHITE PLAINS – A Bloomfield, New Jersey man was arraigned in Westchester
County Court on Wednesday on an indictment charging him with murder and
robbery stemming from the shooting death of Felix Kumi in Mount Vernon
on August 28, 2015.
Alvin Smothers, 37, had met with an undercover New York City police officer
to sell the officer two illegal handguns. The officer was driving an undercover
vehicle and a third person, known to the officer as a gun seller, was
in the front seat.
Smothers got in the back seat and the three drove around discussing the
sale. A short time later, the car stopped, the discussion continued, but
Smothers pulled what appeared to be a gun on the officer and demanded
the purchase money. The officer complied and Smothers got out of the car.
When the officer also got out, Smothers pointed his weapon at him again
and the officer fired at him striking an innocent bystander walking on
the sidewalk. That man, Felix Kumi, was shot in the torso and back and
died in an area hospital.
The indictment is the conclusion of a 6 ½ month investigation into
the events.
The third person in the incident, described as the gun seller, Jeffrey
Aristy, has been charged with a 29-count indictment including 25 charges
related to illegal gun sales.
Smothers pled not guilty and remains in the Westchester County Jail.
If convicted, he faces 15 to 25 years in state prison.
