Kayleb Smerer, a 17-year-old senior at Port Huron Northern High School, was fatally shot at home in Port Huron, Michigan, in the early morning hours of September 11, 2025. Kayleb was active in his school’s Metal Machining Program at TEC and had been recognized as Student of the Month. He enjoyed Transformers, Hot Wheels, classic cars, and ’80s rock music.

Police say Kayleb’s 44-year-old father, Jeffrey Smerer, is accused of planning the attack for about a week and of retrieving a .380 pistol that morning. According to testimony at a preliminary hearing, Jeffrey Smerer allegedly shot Kayleb in the head on the living room couch after first shooting two younger children, aged 13 and 12. The two younger children were left critically injured, one with severe facial fractures and the other paralyzed from the neck down. The father reportedly attempted to take his own life when the firearm jammed; his wife and an older 20-year-old son disarmed him.

Jeffrey Smerer was arrested, denied bond, and charged with open murder, two counts of assault with intent to murder, two counts of first-degree child abuse and multiple felony firearm counts. A detective testified that Smerer admitted to the shootings and he has been bound over to circuit court to stand trial. Did anyone who knew Kayleb or his family notice changes in the days before September 11?