Story by Ethan
On August 12th, 2026, the arrest of Robert Smith and Kevin Blunt, both age 44, was announced by Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. Robert Smith and Kevin Blunt were charged with first and second-degree Attempted Murder, first and second-degree Assault, first and second-degree Criminal Use of a Firearm, first-degree Attempted Assault, first-degree Reckless Endangerment, second and third-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The arrest and charges against Robert Smith and Kevin Blunt were a result of an investigation handled by Detective Omar Santiago of the Brooklyn South Video Team and Detective Andrew Noto of the NYPD 60th Precinct Detective Squad.
According to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, at approximately 10:30 p.m. on July 4th, 2026, approximately 50 people were present in a residential property’s courtyard for a family barbecue in the area near Surf Avenue and West 30th Street in Coney Island, New York. At this time both defendants approached the gathering and Robert Smith attempted to fire shots into the crowd when his weapon jammed. Kevin Blunt assisted with clearing the weapon before Robert Smith fired off approximately fifteen shots into the group of people.
Eight people in the crowd were struck by the gunfire, four children ages six, seven, twelve, and fourteen, and four adults ages 21, 23, 33, and 37. In addition to the eight people, the six-year-old’s ten-week-old puppy, Sky, was also shot in the head and killed instantly. All victims were taken to local hospitals where the 21-year-old victim was listed in critical condition. Surveillance footage recovered during the investigation depicted both defendants’ and their actions before, during, and after the attack ensued.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office stated that the charges against Robert Smith and Kevin Blunt are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
