Syracuse man accused of fleeing with gun after Orange Crate bouncer shooting

Secret Wings of CNY: Orange Crate Brewing Co.

Orange Crate Brewing Co. on the SU Hill. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Syracuse, NY -- A Syracuse man has been arrested on a felony weapon possession charge after being accused of fleeing the scene of a shooting of a South Crouse Avenue bar bouncer.

Ricardo L. Smith, 56, was arrested hours after the 1:20 a.m. shooting Sunday that left a bouncer in critical condition after being shot in the stomach at Orange Crate, according to court records.

Smith is accused of fleeing the scene with an illegal gun and hiding the weapon in a car. But he has not yet been publicly linked to the shooting itself.

The investigation into the shooting itself remains ongoing, according to the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office.

Smith’s illegal weapons charge is still enough to hold him in jail on high bail as the investigation continues. If convicted of possessing the loaded, illegal handgun, Smith faces up to 15 years in prison, even without proof that he used it in the shooting itself.

Witnesses identified Smith as the man with a gun “engaged in an altercation with another male,” investigators alleged in court records. “The defendant was also seen to have fled the scene of a shooting with injuries, still possessing the firearm, and returned to his vehicle...”

The bouncer struck by gunfire has been identified as Shane Manley, a pro mixed martial arts fighter, according to a GoFundMe page set up on his behalf.

“Shane Manley was working security and his selfless actions prevented what could have been a much worse situation after a dispute between two individuals erupted outside of the main entrance,” loved ones wrote Monday on the GoFundMe page. “Shane intervened and kept these individuals from entering the facility with a handgun. He was shot once in the stomach and was rushed to the hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. He is currently waiting on a second surgery, and we are hopeful that he will be okay.”

Police have not identified the victim and have only said that he is expected to survive.

Staff writer Douglass Dowty can be reached at ddowty@syracuse.com or (315) 470-6070.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.