‘Birdman’ killed in Diego Martin

The murdered man was identified as Curtis “Birdman” Smith Jr, from Riverside Drive, La Puerta.

Reports are he was approached at about 9 am by three men who alighted from a car and opened fire on him.

Crime scene investigators collected at least 40 spent shells.

A child received a graze from a stray bullet while a man sustained a broken arm while running during the shooting. Eyewitnesses told police Smith was involved in an altercation with another man hours shortly before he was shot.

He was captured on a video kicking a man in his head and his side.

The video was shared on social media platforms.

Police say Smith was a suspect in a murder.

However, family members say he was not a criminal but a businessman and a father of four.

Family members were so beside themselves with grief when they Smith’s body that one relative charged past the caution tape crying out for him.

The relative was held back by police. Another man was arrested for assaulting a police officer while at the murder scene.

Relatives said gunmen were after Smith for a while.

They said people were jealous of him because he had gotten several contracts in the area.

Newsday was told he was heading to one of these job sites when he was killed.

In April, Smith was chased by gunmen who shot him in the shoulder at Pregnancy Lane, off La Puerta Avenue.

Police have not yet ascertained a motive behind his murder.

The murder toll now stands at 303 for the year.