SHOOTING ARREST UPDATE: The shooter in yesterday’s incident at Skate Ranch is identified as Derrick Jamar Smith, 36, of Lufkin.
Smith remains in the Angelina County Jail on a charge of second-degree-felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. As of 11:45 a.m. Sunday, his bond had not been set.
The shooting occurred on the skating floor around 6 p.m. yesterday when Smith fired a round at John Wade, 40, of Lufkin, following a verbal disturbance that began in the birthday-party area.
Wade suffered a graze wound to the abdomen and did not require hospital transport. He was checked out by Lufkin Fire paramedics who responded to the scene.
Smith fled the business as a passenger in a white SUV following the shooting. He was taken into custody minutes later after officers made a traffic stop on the SUV less than a mile from the Skate Ranch on Lotus Lane.
“This wasn’t a random act,” Lufkin Police spokeswoman Jessica Pebsworth said. “The victim in this case was targeted due to an ongoing domestic situation.”
A child who was upset by the incident suffered a breathing issue and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital to be checked out. There were no additional shooting-related injuries reported.
Skate Ranch released the following statement on its Facebook page yesterday:
“Skate Ranch has always prided itself on being a safe, family environment, and we will continue to be so with a few changes. Unfortunately, (in) this day (and) age we will have to install a walk-through metal detector. No one should feel it's okay to bring
a weapon, of any kind to a family-fun center, and feel so threatened they need to use it. We will also require adults invited to birthday parties be listed on the guest list. Uninvited adults are not welcome. This will slow down our lines to get into the building,
but we will start letting people in earlier, and I think you can agree it's worth the time.”
Smith has been arrested four times in Angelina County on charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault/family violence causing bodily injury, and evading arrest with a vehicle.
(Smith mugshot is from a 2018 arrest.)
Jessica Pebsworth
Communications Director
City of Lufkin
