A North Carolina man allegedly shot and killed a Garner police officer Saturday morning, at the emergency department at the WakeMed hospital in Garner.
On Saturday, at around 9 a.m., Garner police responded to a shooting at the WakeMed Garner Healthplex in the 400 block of US-70.
Officer Roger Smith, 59, had been working in the lobby in the emergency department at WakeMed when “a struggle ensued.”
During the struggle, Benji Martin Jr., 29, of Garner, allegedly shot Smith.
Medical staff performed “immediate life-saving efforts,” but Smith succumbed to his injuries, according to a statement ABC 11 obtained from WakeMed.
Police arrested Martin Jr. and charged him with murder.
Garner Police Captain David Casteline said Smith “died trying to save the lives of the workers here at WakeMed and other people that were in the lobby, according to The News & Observer.
“There’s a lot of details involved. Detectives are trying to piece all that together. They’ve interviewed witnesses. They’ve reviewed video surveillance, and they’re still trying to piece that together to see what actually happened,” Casteline said.
Meanwhile, there has been an outpouring of condolences and statements about Smith’s heroism.
“Officer Smith dedicated his career to protecting others, and even in his final moments, he put the safety of others before his own,” Garner police chief Chris Adams said in a statement.
“Our condolences go out to the Smith family, the WakeMed Campus Police Department, and the entire WakeMed staff.”
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein asked for prayers for the families and stated that Smith “was killed protecting patients and their families.”
Stein continued by expressing thankfulness to all officers.
“Law enforcement officers put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe, and we are forever grateful for Officer Smith’s sacrifice.”
The Greensboro Police Department posted condolences: “To our brothers and sisters at the WakeMed Police Department, we send our sincere condolences on the heartbreaking loss of Officer Roger Smith, who was killed in the line of duty this morning.”
The Raleigh Police Department also “extends our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of WakeMed Police Officer Roger Smith.”
After the shooting, WakeMed spokesperson Debbie Laughery stated the patients at WakeMed were taken by ambulances to other facilities, according to The News & Observer.
WakeMed was temporarily closed after the tragedy but has since reopened.
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[Feature Photo via Garner police]
