Tyrone Smith Jr Pulled Gun From Waistband And Fired Four Rounds As Crowd Gathered On Blue Bridge

A Grand Rapids man was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison after firing a ghost gun into a crowd on the Blue Bridge in downtown Grand Rapids last summer.

Tyrone Kenneth Smith Jr, 29, was sentenced Monday for being a felon in possession of ammunition. U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced the sentence.

Smith pulled a Polymer P80 pistol from his waistband and fired four rounds on June 22, 2025, as a large group of young people had gathered on the bridge. Surveillance video captured the incident, including a visible muzzle flash. Everyone on the bridge fled.

When police recovered the weapon later that night, the extended magazine still held 22 live rounds. The gun was a privately made firearm with no serial number, making it difficult to trace.

U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker, who imposed the sentence, said it was miraculous that no one was seriously hurt or killed.

Smith had been convicted of felony firearms offenses in Michigan courts on four prior occasions. Federal prosecutors said that history is exactly why the case was elevated to federal court.

After being convicted no fewer than four times for felony firearms offenses in the State of Michigan, he went out and got himself yet another gun, then took it to a crowded public gathering and fired it off, VerHey said in a statement.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the Detroit Field Office praised the investigation, saying the defendant's actions endangered lives and threatened public safety in a place where visitors deserve peace.

Interim Grand Rapids Police Chief Joe Trigg also welcomed the outcome. Every offender that faces accountability means a safer community for us all, Trigg said.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Grand Rapids Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis M. Sanford. It was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence.

Ghost Gun Had No Serial Number And Made It Hard To Track

The gun was identified as a Polymer P80 pistol with an extended magazine. It was a privately made ghost gun without a serial number, making it difficult to track.

Investigators say police found the gun later that night. No one was seriously hurt in the incident.

The Blue Bridge is a popular gathering spot in downtown Grand Rapids. Visitors come from across the region to enjoy the views and the atmosphere.

Smith Faces Federal Prosecution Because Of Prior Convictions

This firearms charge went to federal court because Smith has repeatedly refused to abide by laws that say he cannot have a firearm, VerHey said.

The Department of Justice says Smith's history of felony firearms convictions made him an appropriate defendant for federal prosecution on this charge.

Sources: WZZM13, Fox 17 Online