Michigan – A Michigan man was ordered to stand triaI after a preIiminary examination revealed sufficient evidence to proceed with charges stemming from a tragic shooting incident. The 44-year-old parent, J. Smarer, faces multiple felony counts, including open murder, two counts of assauIt with intent to murder, two counts of first-degree chiId abuse, and five counts of felony firearm offenses. The charges relate to the fatal shooting of his chiId, and the critical wounding of his two other children last month. The incident occurred at the family’s residence in Michigan.
According to investigators, the defendant had been convicted earlier that year for an indcent exposure incident involving a chiId at his family’s daycare between 2020 and 2023. He was scheduled to be sentenced on the morning of the shooting. Reports indicate that the parent had been planning the attack for approximately a week.
On the morning of the shooting, he allegedly woke his children for school, and in what appeared to be a normal routine, said good morning to them before opening fire. Michigan authorities found the children in their home after a 6 a.m. emergency call. The 17-year-old victim, KayIeb, was found dead at the scene, while BentIey and KinzIey sustained severe injuries. BentIey suffered facial fractures, and KinzIey was left paralyzed from the neck down due to a bullet lodged in her spine.
After the shooting, the parent reportedly attempted to take his own life but was stopped by his wife and adult son. Law enforcement responded to a 6 a.m. emergency call and found the children in their Michigan home. The defendant was taken into custody without incident. During subsequent interviews, he allegedly confessed to the crime and stated that he had been contemplating the shootings for at least a week. Prosecutors presented medical records, police testimony, and statements from him detailing the events that took place at the family home.
During his interview with Michigan authorities, the parent reportedly said that he had been stressed over his upcoming sentencing for an indcent exposure charge from 2020 and believed he might be going to jail. He admitted that he had been planning the attack for about a week and said he chose to target his children because he was closest to the younger children. On the morning of the incident, he said he woke up, retrieved his firearm from a gun safe under his bed, and went to the children’s bedroom.
Before carrying out the attack, he looked at himself in the bathroom mirror and questioned whether he was really going to do it. He told Michigan authorities that he shot BentIey while the child was under a blanket using a cellphone, then aimed at KinzIey’s throat as she got up, and later aimed at KayIeb’s head while the victim was sitting on the living room couch. The aprent added that when he tried to take his own life afterward, his firearm jammed, leading him to cut his wrist and ingest multiple medications he had stashed in the family’s master bedroom.
The community has been left in shock and mourning. A GoFundMe campaign has been established to assist with funeral costs and medical expenses for the surviving children. Family members have expressed their grief and disbelief over the incident, with some stating that the man had been experiencing personal struggles and had sought medical help but did not receive the support he needed.
As of now, he remains in custody without bond. His trial is scheduled to proceed, with the court examining the evidence and statements provided during the investigation. The case has drawn widespread attention and serves as a somber reminder of the devastating consequences of untreated mental health issues and the importance of seeking help and support.
