Officer killed at North Carolina hospital ‘saved numerous lives’

Many in North Carolina are mourning the death of WakeMed police officer Roger Smith, who is being widely praised as a hero who may have saved the lives of others.

Smith, who was 59 years old, was shot and killed Saturday morning at the WakeMed Garner Healthplex in Garner, North Carolina, a city just outside of Raleigh. The campus is part of WakeMed Health & Hospitals. The fatal shooting also serves as a chilling reminder of the threat of violence in hospitals and health systems around the country.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein and law enforcement leaders praised Smith’s courage, and many paid tribute to Smith’s sacrifice.

“My heart goes out to the family of Officer Roger Smith, who was killed protecting patients and their families,” Stein said in a post on Facebook.

Authorities said police arrived at 9 a.m. Saturday after reports of a shooting inside the Garner Healthplex emergency department lobby. Garner Police said Smith suffered a gunshot wound and the emergency department medical staff delivered immediate aid, but they couldn’t save him.

A suspect has been charged with murder in connection with Smith’s death, Garner police said. The suspect was identified as Benji Martin Jr., 29, of Garner, N.C., and he was also wounded by gunfire, according to WNCN-TV.

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‘A true hero’

Authorities say the investigation is continuing. Chip Hawley, director of North Carolina’s State Bureau of Investigation, said others may have been killed if Smith hadn’t intervened and engaged the suspect.

“I want to acknowledge that Officer Smith is a true hero,” he said in a statement posted by the agency on Facebook Sunday. “Had it not been for his heroic efforts to neutralize the threat, there could have been many more citizens injured or killed. I want to express my profound gratitude to Officer Smith, as his actions undoubtedly saved numerous lives in that emergency room.”

Garner Police said in a news release that medical staff at the scene “described Officer Smith as a hero whose actions likely prevented further loss of life. His courage and selfless service exemplified the highest ideals of law enforcement.”

Garner Police Chief Adams called the hospital shooting a “heartbreaking and senseless act of violence.”

“Officer Smith dedicated his career to protecting others, and even in his final moments, he put the safety of others before his own. Our condolences go out to the Smith family, the WakeMed Campus Police Department, and the entire WakeMed staff,” Adams said in a statement.

WakeMed issued a statement via Facebook saying the entire system mourns the loss of Smith, who served as a campus police officer in the system for more than a decade.

“Our hearts are broken, and we grieve along with Officer Smith’s family, loved ones, colleagues and friends. He will be remembered for his compassion, his dedication to others, his kind smile, his friendship and his heroism,” the system said.

WakeMed also praised the Garner Healthplex staff “for their heroic and quick response.”

“Officer Smith lost his life while protecting the lives of others – and we will forever remember and honor his memory. Thank you to our community for your continued support and for keeping Officer Smith, his family and WakeMed staff in your thoughts and prayers in the wake of this tragedy.”

Pushing for greater protections

Other hospital systems have seen fatal shootings this year.

A security guard was shot and killed at INTEGRIS Health Enid Hospital in Oklahoma in August. The guard, identified as J.W. Bode, was 72 years old, authorities said. The suspect was shot and killed.

In February, a police officer was killed in a shooting at UPMC Memorial, a 104-bed hospital near the city of York in central Pennsylvania, and several others were shot and wounded, including a doctor and a hospital staff member. Authorities later said the officer, Andrew Duarte of the West York Borough Police Department was killed by a shot from a fellow police officer. Authorities stressed that the attacker caused the officer’s death, NBC News reported. The suspect in that incident was shot and killed.

Other fatal shootings have taken place in hospitals in recent years. Beyond those horrific incidents, which typically garner wide attention, hospital physicians, nurses and other staff say they have encountered more physical attacks and abuse since the pandemic.

Hospitals and groups representing doctors and nurses have urged Congress to make it a federal crime to attack healthcare workers, and they have sought protections similar to airline workers. They argue that stiffer penalties may reduce the number of violent incidents in hospitals.