FORT WORTH, Texas — Police say a 21-year-old man admitted to fatally shooting a TCU student outside of a Fort Worth bar early Friday but that he didn't know the victim and "could not provide a clear reason" why he killed him, according to an arrest warrant affidavit in the case.
Wes Smith, a junior at TCU, was identified as the victim, according to a statement from a TCU spokesperson.
The statement said the university was "devastated by the tragic death" of Smith, a finance major and former walk-on TCU football player from Germantown, Tennessee.
"Wes was truly an amazing and loving son, brother, cousin, and friend to so many," his family said in a statement through TCU on Friday. "We are heartbroken by his passing and ask for the space to grieve during this terribly difficult time."
Police said the shooting happened shortly after 1 a.m. in the 3000 block of Bledsoe Street, according to a police news release.
Matthew Purdy, 21, was arrested in the shooting and faces a murder charge, police said.
In an affidavit obtained by WFAA later Friday, police said the a patrol officer in the area responded after hearing shots near the "Your Mom's House" bar. When the officer arrived, he saw Smith with multiple gunshot wounds.
Smith was taken to a hospital, where he died about 30 minutes later.
Another officer reviewed surveillance footage that showed Smith was standing on the sidewalk, just west of the bar, when a man with a backpack walked toward him "and appeared to be speaking to Wes," the affidavit said.
"After a brief moment, Wes fell in the street and male suspect stood over him," the affidavit said, describing what the officer saw on the surveillance footage. "The male suspect then ran westbound towards S. University Drive."
Police used a helicopter to find the suspect, later identified as Purdy, walking in a nearby parking lot, the affidavit said. Officers arrested Purdy, patted him down and put him into a patrol car. But several minutes later, an officer caught Purdy with a pistol in his hand, leading the officer to believe he hid the gun "in his crotch area," the affidavit said.
Police took Purdy to the homicide detectives' office to be interviewed.
The affidavit said Purdy admitted approaching Smith and shooting him three times. Purdy did not know Smith, according to his statement to police that was detailed in the affidavit.
Police said Purdy admitted shooting Smith once in the stomach, once in the shoulder and once in the back of the head, after Smith fell to the ground.
"Matthew [Purdy] stated he shot him in the head because he wanted to make sure he was dead," the affidavit said.
Police said Purdy "could not provide a clear reason as to why he shot Wes."
The affidavit said Purdy told police that he shot Smith after asking him if he knew his father who was assaulted in the West 7th area in the past. The affidavit did not provide more information about Purdy's statement about his father, and it redacted the father's name.
Purdy had been on probation in an aggravated robbery case in Tarrant County, according to the affidavit, but more information about the case was not included.
Police also interviewed witnesses about the shooting, including someone who was allegedly hit on the back of the head with a gun by Purdy, causing a cut, the affidavit said. Police had previously said the suspect assaulted a woman as he fled the scene.
TCU notified students and staff about Smith's death in an email Friday morning, saying Smith was a finance major and a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.
"The grief in our community is great today," the campus-wide email said.
University officials also said they planned to honor Smith with a moment of silence before Saturday's home football game against Colorado. Smith was a walk-on on the football team in 2021, but did not play the last two seasons.
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker released a statement about Smith's death, saying she knew Smith because he coached her son's middle school football team.
"Wes was a TCU student and a remarkable young man who impacted countless lives, including my own son as a football coach for his middle school team," Parker said. "Our family is praying for the entire TCU community and especially for Wes' family and friends."
Parker said she commended police "for taking swift action to prevent more lives from being lost."
"Despite increased security efforts in the West 7th area, this is a tragic setback," Parker said. "The City and FWPD must work diligently together with bar and business owners in the area in the coming days to find additional solutions and continue collaborative efforts to make the area safer."
News of the TCU junior's passing spread quickly to his hometown in Tennessee.
"It hit hard. It hit hard. I think it's hard to lose a child in any way," said Tim Gibson, who is the Head of School at St. George's, an Episcopalian school in Germantown, Tennessee.
Gibson told WFAA the Smith family is well loved in the community, leaving the school and local community is in a state of shock.
"He valued his time as a young man of faith, as a son, as a brother, as a teammate, a friend to be a person you can rely on," Gibson said.