Waco Police Arrested Man for BB Gun Shootings
A 49-year-old man faces felony charges after allegedly targeting 15 local businesses with a BB gun.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Property Crime
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Waco police have arrested 49-year-old Jeffrey Alan Smoger following a series of BB gun shootings that damaged 15 local businesses. Authorities identified Smoger using automated license plate readers and recovered a .177-caliber CO2 BB gun from his vehicle.
Why it matters
The string of shootings caused significant property damage to local establishments, including a prominent office building housing a federal agency. Smoger allegedly told investigators he carried out the attacks because he received a rush and satisfaction from hearing glass break.
Jeffrey Alan Smoger faces nine felony counts of criminal mischief for damages ranging from $2,500 to $30,000 per count. He is currently held on total bonds amounting to $450,000 while investigations into additional charges continue.
The players
Jeffrey Alan Smoger
He is a 49-year-old resident of Waco who is employed at AutoNation Chevrolet.
Waco Police Department
This local law enforcement agency is responsible for investigating the string of criminal mischief incidents.
Triangle Tower
This Waco office building houses an FBI field office and was the most frequently targeted site in the shooting spree.
The details
Investigators tracked Smoger by monitoring vehicle patterns along North New Road before apprehending him at his place of employment, AutoNation Chevrolet. The suspect's vehicle was central to the identification, leading officers to recover the weapon used in the attacks.
Timeline
The BB gun shooting incidents began in February 2026.
A shooting incident involving a blue Tesla occurred on September 10, 2026.
The Triangle Tower was struck by gunfire on September 23, 2026.
Waco police arrested Jeffrey Alan Smoger on September 26, 2026.
Legal Context
The felony charges filed in this case align with the Texas state penal code regarding criminal mischief, which categorizes offenses based on the dollar value of the destruction. This case follows a pattern of heightened law enforcement scrutiny for serial vandalism within the Waco jurisdiction.
Local businesses should review their security camera footage and report any previously unidentified damage occurring since February. The police department's use of automated license plate readers signals an increase in digital surveillance to deter future criminal mischief in the city.
The takeaway
This case demonstrates how modern surveillance technology can effectively link seemingly disparate acts of vandalism to a single perpetrator. Business owners are encouraged to maintain robust security records to assist law enforcement in building comprehensive cases against serial offenders.
What happens next
Additional charges are expected to be filed against the suspect as the investigation into the 31 total incidents continues.
Further reading
For more information on regional enforcement efforts, see Property Crime trends in the area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kwtx.
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