A Harris County judge has decided to keep 17-year-old Brayden Smith in custody without bond following his alleged involvement in a fatal shooting aboard a METRO bus. Smith is accused of shooting and killing Caitlin Stup, a 25-year-old bystander, during a confrontation with another man on the bus, who was also armed. The incident was captured on the bus surveillance system, which became a focal point during the court proceedings, FOX 26 Houston reports.
According to prosecutors, the chaotic incident unfolded on Wednesday, Jan. 7, with Smith allegedly boarding METRO bus #2611 and immediately advancing towards Patrick Scott, who was already seated on the bus. During their interaction, captured by surveillance cameras, Scott appears to draw his own weapon. Prosecutors allege Smith fired multiple shots in the ensuing moments, ultimately leading to Stup's death, as stated in an interview by KHOU. Another teenager, 16 years old, was also shot and injured in the encounter.
Smith, a former Elsik High School student, was identified by a campus coordinator after the authorities released surveillance images from the bus. It was noted in court that, at the time of the shooting, Smith was on juvenile probation for an attempted aggravated robbery, and his record also includes charges of assault, evading arrest, and criminal trespassing. The recovered forensic evidence from the crime scene matched a projectile found in Stup's body, which has been linked to Smith.
In defense of Smith, his attorney highlighted that the video footage shows the actions of Scott, who also had a gun in his hand. "The video is clear, but it is also clear that Scott had a gun in his hand," said the defense, as reported by FOX 26 Houston. The defense asked for a continuance for further review of new forensic evidence and the full context of the video from the state's case. Meanwhile, prosecutors had filed a Motion 11D, which led to the denial of bond for Smith due to the violent nature of the crime with which he is charged.
During the court appearance, surveillance video was shown to the judge, and while Smith's defense attorney demanded to examine additional angles of the footage, asserting the need for a broader perspective, the co-defendant in the case, Patrick Scott, was charged with the unlawful carrying of a weapon. The case has been reset by the judge for a no-bond hearing later this week, maintaining Smith's custody status until then, according to KHOU.
