Report: Suspect was out on bond for shooting flare gun at car in Mount Pleasant when he allegedly killed UCLA student

LOS ANGELES, C.A. (WCBD) – Documents obtained by NBC News reveal that the man accused of fatally stabbing a woman in a Los Angeles furniture store was out on bond for an incident in Mount Pleasant during which he apparently fired a flare gun at a car, injuring a toddler in the back seat.

Shawn Laval Smith was arrested by the Pasadena Police Department Wednesday for the January 13 murder of Brianna Kupfer. Investigators have not been able to identify any connection between the two, and believe the killing was at random.

Prior to living in California, Smith lived in Charleston. Court records show that Smith was booked into the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center over 10 times in as many years, with his most recent arrest being in November of 2019.

According to the indictment, Smith followed the victim from the Ravenel Bridge into Mount Pleasant because Smith believed the victim “tried to clip his car.” The men got into an argument at a stop light, and the victim said that he tried to get away from Smith. Smith claimed he thought the victim was a threat, so he shot his flare gun at the car, which Smith acknowledged had a child in the back seat.

Smith was booked into the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center and bond was set at $50,000. He was released 10 days later after posting bail.

On Wednesday, an official at the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office told NBC News that the office was unaware Smith was out of state. The individual also said that no court dates had been set for Smith at that time.

As of Wednesday evening, a motion was filed for bond revocation. On Thursday, court records were updated to reflect a bond hearing for Smith scheduled to take place on February 8.