shawn laval smith

Police/Facebook Shawn Laval Smith and Brianna Kupfer

Shawn Laval Smith is the suspect accused in connection with the random murder of Brianna Kupfer, a 24-year-old UCLA graduate student who was stabbed to death in a random attack inside the high-end furniture store where she worked in the Hancock Park area of Los Angeles, California.

Los Angeles police released Shawn Smith’s name on the evening of January 18, 2022, writing, “31-year-old Shawn Laval Smith has been identified in connection with the murder of Brianna Kupfer, which occurred in the 300 block of North La Brea Avenue on January 13, 2022. He should be considered armed and dangerous. If seen do not approach, call 911.”

The LAPD also released a series of photos of Smith, who is at large. According to KTLA-TV, a reward for his capture has increased to $250,000.

Kupfer was working alone in the furniture store as a design consultant when the killer walked into the store and murdered her, according to police and Fox 11.

It’s part of a string of random, violent attacks against women in the United States. A nurse, Sandra Shells, died after a transient man struck her while she waited for a bus in Los Angeles. In New York, Michelle Alyssa Go was pushed in front of a subway train, to her death, by a man believed to be homeless.

Councilmember Paul Koretz said in a news conference on January 18, 2022, that the murder had shaken the community “to its core.” He said he could only imagine the “heartbreak and anguish” that her family is feeling, “and the pain.” He referred to the slayer as a “vile killer” and “vicious criminal.” Kupfer had “endless potential,” he said.

“This horrible murder is an attack on our way of life,” continued Koretz.

Koretz read a statement from the Kupfer family. Kupfer was born, educated and was building her career in Los Angeles, he said. She was a “rising star” in the community whose ascent was cut short “by the actions of a heartless criminal.” In many ways, she embodied “everything that was great about Los Angeles,” said Koretz. She was smart, driven, and a kind soul who wanted to better her community and herself on a daily basis, the family’s statement said. She deeply loved her family and friends and made every day better “simply by her presence,” the statement continued.

In the news conference, authorities revealed that Kupfer had sent a text to someone she knew revealing that a person in the store was giving her a “bad vibe.” That person didn’t see the text immediately, authorities said.

Here’s what you need to know:


1. The Suspect, Who Police Warned May be Using Public Transportation, Randomly Attacked Kupfer With a Knife Inside the Store, Police Say

The suspect was caught on a 7-Eleven store video about 30 minutes after the murder, Los Angeles police said. Before they released his name, they asked the public for help in identifying him by releasing the store video above.

Police released a community alert wanted poster for Smith. They said that he has been in Pasadena, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Covina, San Diego, San Francisco, and “several other locations around southern California.” They also released these photos of the suspect before naming him.

brianna kupfer suspectbrianna kupfer suspect

LAPDBrianna Kupfer murder suspect

Police advised that Smith “is highly likely to be using public transportation. Special attention should be given to bus stops and train platforms.” Koretz said officials know the suspect entered other businesses as well.

People with information should notify Detective D. Vinton, West Bureau Homicide, at 213-382-9470. After hours, people should contact LAPD Department Operations Center at 213-484-6700.

Smith’s date of birth is May 13, 1990. He is described as “male, Black, 6’3”, 190 lbs.” in the wanted poster.

In a news release, Los Angeles police wrote that The Los Angeles Police Department, West Bureau Homicide detectives “are investigating the murder of 24-year-old Brianna Kupfer, a Pacific Palisades resident.”

“On Thursday afternoon, January 13, 2022, around 1:50 p.m., Wilshire Patrol officers responded to a radio call of an ‘Ambulance Assault with a Deadly Weapon’ at a business, located at the 300 block of North La Brea Avenue,” police wrote. “The officers met with the reporting party, a customer who had entered the store and discovered the victim deceased on the floor.”

They wrote:

Detectives have determined the suspect was not known to the victim and was a random walk in to the store. The suspect attacked the victim with a knife and fled the scene through the back door. There is no known motive at this time. The suspect was last seen on video surveillance northbound in the alley to the rear of the crime scene.


2. The Suspect, Who Was Seen on Other Video as Well, Is Believed to Be Homeless, Police Wrote

Police released this description of the suspect:

The suspect is described as a male Black, unknown age, tall, thin, wearing a dark hoody, sunglasses, a white N-95 mask, dark skinny jeans, dark shoes and carrying a dark back pack. Based on evidence discovered by detectives, the suspect is believed to be homeless.

You can see video of the suspect in this news report:


Employee stabbed to death inside Hancock Park storeA woman was stabbed to death inside the furniture store where she works at in Hancock Park, police say. Subscribe to FOX 11 Los Angeles: youtube.com/channel/UCHfF8wFnipMeDpJf8OmMxDg?sub_confirmation=1 Watch FOX 11 Los Angeles Live: foxla.com/live FOX 11 delivers breaking news, live events, undercover investigations, police chases, true crime files, business news, celebrities and entertainment on Good Day…2022-01-14T01:45:29Z

They added: “Anyone with information on this (stabbing) should contact West Bureau Homicide investigators at (213) 382-9470. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477).”

News anchor Jeff Vaughn wrote on Twitter that “a doctor with an office next to The Croft House where Brianna Kupfer was killed says the suspect visited her practice before he murdered the 24 year old. Over last year doctor says visits from ‘not right’ people forced her to beef up security and add buzzer to get inside.”


3. Smith, Who Has a Criminal History in at Least Two States, Was Released on $1,000 Bail in a Prior Case

shawn smith bookingshawn smith booking

Los Angeles Co JailBooking record for Shawn Smith

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s jail records show that Smith was given $1,000 bail in October 2020 on a misdemeanor case.

In that case, he was arrested by the Covina police department. He was booked on October 27, 2020.

The outcome of that case was not clear. It lists the “next court date” as October 28, 2020, and says he was released on October 27, 2020. The records say the case involved a “citation.”

Here is more of that booking record.

Jail records

There is no sentence listed.

Jail records

No further information was available.

According to Fox News, citing a source, he has a criminal history that “spans both coasts,” including in San Francisco and South Carolina. The most recent charge was shoplifting, and he was also jailed in San Mateo “after allegedly assaulting a police officer,” Fox News reported.

According to Fox News, Brianna Kupfer was studying design at UCLA and had worked at Croft House as a consultant for about a year.

On LinkedIn, she wrote, “Design Consultant. Interior Architecture/ Interior Design.”

Fox 11 reported that Kupfer “was a UCLA grad student studying architectural design. She was working as a design consultant at Croft House – a high-end furniture store in the Fairfax District.”

The Croft House, where she worked, describes itself on its website this way:

Founded in 2010, Croft House aims to encompass the sophisticated, relaxed feel of the California lifestyle through their handmade pieces of statement furniture. Croft prides itself on creating timeless pieces, individually crafted to fit a client’s specific needs. Their extensive design experience effortlessly transforms ideas and vision into functional, quality furniture.


4. Kupfer’s Father Blamed Politicians for the Murder of His ‘Strong & Vivacious’ Daughter’

Kupfer’s father blamed politicians for his daughter’s murder.

“Crime is truly spiking, and we have a lot of criminals on the streets that shouldn’t be out,” Todd Kupfer told Fox News.

“We have a lot of politicians that somehow forgot about people and think the key to getting elected is to support the lowest rung of our society and to give them rights and somehow that’s the answer to getting votes,” Kupfer said to Fox.

“She was a kind soul and always was trying to make herself better and everything around her better,” said Kupfer. “She cared about people.”

He added: “She was the kind of person we need on this Earth,” her dad said. “She was strong and vivacious.”


5. Kupfer Filled Her Facebook Page With Photos of Friends & the Outdoors

brianna kupferbrianna kupfer

FacebookBrianna Kupfer

On Facebook, Kupfer wrote that she was from Pacific Palisades. Her photos mostly show her with friends or enjoying the outdoors.

She had a degree in public relations from the University of Miami and studied abroad at the University of Sydney, according to her LinkedIn page. She attended Brentwood High School, according to Fox 11.

brianna kupferbrianna kupfer

FacebookBrianna Kupfer

“Stand for justice,” read the graphic on Kupfer’s LinkedIn cover page.

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Source: Heavy

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