A year after a North Miami Beach smoke shop owner was shot and killed during an armed robbery in a shocking crime that was caught on camera, the alleged gunman in the murder has been arrested, authorities said.
Tarvan Bowens, 18, was arrested Wednesday on first-degree murder and armed robbery charges in the June 11 killing of 35-year-old Salem Albakri, an arrest warrant said.
Bowens is the second suspect arrested in the killing of Albakri, following last August’s arrest of 23-year-old William Robinson.
Tarvan Bowens and William Robinson
Albakri had been working at Miami Cloudz at 2063 Northeast 163rd Street when he was discovered on the floor of the store with a gunshot wound lying in a pool of blood.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. Surveillance cameras captured the entire incident that led to his killing.
The footage showed four males enter the store and walk up to Albakri, before they asked to see several pieces of merchandise.
At one point, Bowens pulls a gun from the front pocket of his red hooded sweatshirt and points it at Albakri, the warrant said.
Albakri saw the gun and tried to flee into the rear of the business but Bowens fired a shot, hitting Albakri in the back, the warrant said.
Salem Albakri
The footage showed Robinson place his hand on the glass counter while viewing merchandise, and investigators were able to get fingerprints from the counter which were later confirmed to be Robinson’s, the warrant said.
Investigators discovered Robinson and Bowens were co-defendants in a 2023 burglary case in Plantation, the warrant said.
Bowens’ sister also identified her brother as the smoke shop shooter, the warrant said.
Police are still searching for two other people who were with Bowens and Robinson.
Meanwhile, friends of Albakri, including Carlos Rodriguez, who works at the store, said they haven’t forgotten him.
“I feel his presence here, believe it, or not, every day, you just feel it,” Rodriguez said.
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