Quraan Smith, holding a basketball at Arlington High School. Photo Credit: Screenshot of his family’s Go Fund Me Page created by a friend after his death. — Quraan Smith, holding a basketball at Arlington High School.
*Photo Credit: Screenshot of his family’s* *Go Fund Me Page* *created by a friend after his death.*

My kids and I were at a Beacon Bears flag football game on Saturday, September 18, 2021 in the boiling hot 4pm sun at Memorial Park in Beacon. A press release from the Dutchess County Executive’s Office popped into my inbox, titled “Dutchess County Trauma Team Assisting Arlington Community Following Student Death.”

I didn’t know what they were talking about. I hadn’t read the Poughkeepsie Journal yet about how 16 year old Quraan Smith had been stabbed at around 9pm during a big fight after a big-kid football game on Friday, September 17, 2021, at Arlington High School the night before. As I Googled to find out what was going on, parents around me were talking about it as our boys threw the football, fighting for a successful pass.

Parents were shocked and so sad. “They have made an arrest,” someone said. “How do they know who it was?” another asked. “There were several eye-witnesses. People saw it. They watched it happen.”

And the articles came. Explaining what has been made public so far. Quraan had moved with his family from Poughkeepsie to attend Arlington High School. He wanted to go to the Arlington High School football game that night against Scarsdale High School. Her and Quraan’s mother, Na'tara Smith, re-arranged her schedule so that she could make that happen, according to his family’s Go Fund Me page created by a friend in response to the loss. At some point on Friday evening, a fight broke out, and at 9pm, Quraan was fatally stabbed.

Arlington High School on a map. Poughkeepsie is west, and Beacon is south west. Photo Credit: Google Maps — Arlington High School on a map. Poughkeepsie is west, and Beacon is south west.
*Photo Credit: Google Maps*

An 18 year old named Nestor A. Ortiz-Ocampo of the City of Poughkeepsie has been charged with stabbing Quraan in the chest, according to the felony complaint as reported by the Poughkeepsie Journal. Nestor has so far been charged with first-degree manslaughter, a felony. He was arrested on Saturday and held on $400,000 bail. His court date is October 5, 2021 in LaGrange Town Court.

Nestor was a former student of Arlington High School, according to Arlington Superintendent David Moyer, but did not graduate, and has not been a student this year, according to reporting by the Poughkeepsie Journal. The Superintendent could not confirm why Nestor left the district.

Also according to the newspaper’s reporting, the police said that the two boys knew each other, and that it was an isolated incident. Events for Saturday and Sunday were canceled, said Arlington’s Superintendent.

In a statement, the Superintendent said "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family and friends." Later, he is quoted to have said: "For the people that are associated with the family, the family and the people on the scene and all of that — it was very, very, very traumatic, difficult and painful," Moyer said. 'It is the type of thing that will never go away. It will be here forever. Nobody that was in any way associated with it will every forget it. It is just a tragedy."

Quraan Remembered In Vigil In Poughkeepsie At Waryas Park

Quraan Smith’s Grandmother, during his vigil in Poughkeepsie in Waryas Park. Photo Credit: Seth Harrison. Screenshot of Poughkeepsie Journal. — Quraan Smith’s Grandmother, during his vigil in Poughkeepsie in Waryas Park.
Photo Credit: Seth Harrison. Screenshot of Poughkeepsie Journal.

Mi-Rose Smith, the 7 year old sister of Quaaran, was one of hundreds of people who attended the vigil held on Poughkeepsie’s waterfront at Waryas Park later that week on September 26, 2021. His mother, Na’tara Smith cried into the microphone while speaking during the vigil, while being supported physically and emotionally by friends.

Said Na’tara as reported in the Poughkeepsie Journal: "The youth, the children, the young adulthood ... you all have given me the strength each and every day," she said to crowd. "I've been feeling good despite what happened to my son. These young children are reaching out on their own ... these children have done an awesome job with supporting me and my family ... I tell you, they give me strength."

Quraan was not only remembered for being an athlete, but for his many traits. According to the education reporter for the Poughkeepsie Journal, Katelyn Cordero, Quraan was known by his friends as Ronny James, a comedian who loved to dance and play sports. He was working on a clothing line after conversations with his father who discussed business with him during the Remote Learning season last year during school. His father found videos and the beginnings of the clothing line after his son’s death.

According to his father, Everton Smith, in the Poughkeepsie Journal: "Coming from an urban community and a poverty-stricken community, he was a legend. He was one year away, he almost made it." Everton said, noting that his son had dreams to play Division I basketball or football on a full scholarship.

Everton continued: “I truly can't believe how many people from the community came. It wasn't even just his athleticism, it was just the person that he was. He was kind, respectful, sentimental. It was the energy that he reflected, when he walked in the room, he gave a beautiful energy."

Everton hoped that the kids would get the emotional support they needed, by saying: "This impacted the children's lives, it's not just that one person that's affected, it impacted the hundreds of children that are going to that school," he said. "Unfortunately, it doesn't just end with a burial. After that, the kids are going to need mental health (support). It's two victims, but all those kids, it's a pain you can't imagine."