Man pleads guilty to 2 of 4 counts in fatal Kalamazoo shooting

KALAMAZOO, MI — Brendan James Smith, 31, pleaded guilty to 2 of 4 counts of murdering Tyrone Potts; in just two days it was the 1st anniversary of his arrest for the crime.

According to the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, Potts and another person were shot and killed in late September 2023 near Lovell and Davis streets. He later died from his injuries.

Smith was arrested over Pott’s death in October 2023 and was refused bail after the courts found he was a flight risk.

According to the Kalamazoo County District Attorney’s Office, Smith will be charged with 2nd degree murder — an amendment to the original charge of open murder — and a charge of aggravated battery in exchange for charges of carrying a concealed weapon and assault with intent to kill. .

Prosecutors recommended that Smith be sentenced to at least 18 years in prison, to run concurrently with a mandatory 2-year sentence on the gun charge, leaving the exact number of years to be served up to the discretion of the court.

The verdict is scheduled for Wednesday, November 13.

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