Ex-con gunned down at taxi stand

Witnesses catching up on last minute shopping at nearby Save-U Supermarket described the sound as the explosions from a long string of firecrackers. But when the noise stopped, the result was plain to see; another body on the pavement surrounded by a pool of blood.

Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting

The trend of shootings and murders continues unabated as forty-year old Hattieville taxi driver Ernest Smith fell prey last night. Reports are that four men on bicycles wearing bandannas over their faces rode up and opened fire on Smith as he sat along side a fellow taxi driver on a bench at the Belcan Taxi Stand; bullets obviously intended for Smith. He was shot at close range six to eight times, in the face, head, shoulder and upper chest.

Joseph Smith, Father of Deceased

“I think it was a set-up that catch him.”

Ernest’s parents, a distraught Alice and Joseph Smith of Hattieville, say they couldn’t believe the news.

Alice Smith, Mother of Deceased

“It was so sudden that I didn’t expect it. I stood up for a moment and after that I just screamed when they told me my son was dead, that he got shot and died. It really touched me hard.”

The late Ernest Smith was no angel–and no stranger to the law. His first conviction was in 1993 for robbery. While serving his nine-year sentence he is alleged to be the culprit who set the infamous fire at the old prison in December of 1993. He was later charged with arson, but was acquitted in 1999. After an escape to Honduras in 1994 he was caught in 1995 and discharged from the Hattieville Prison on October fifteenth, 1999 after serving his nine-year sentence.

Ann-Marie Williams

“He’s had a life of great trials, do you think he was trying to turn himself around, having been a taxi driver for a little while now?”

Joseph Smith

“He was trying. Apparently he was telling his mom that he wanted to stop the taxi work and do something else.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“Why was he trying to stop the taxi job?”

Joseph Smith

“He just got tired of doing it and first of all it is very dangerous. As I remember, I used to drive taxi myself and a guy shot after me.”

Ernest Smith leaves behind a girl friend of three months and six daughters. Ann-Marie Williams for News 5.

The care with which the shooters eliminated their victim while leaving his friend unscathed indicates that the murder was a carefully planned hit. And the motive? Sources indicate that Smith had no shortage of enemies. At newstime, however, none of them had yet been arrested.