Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma
End of Watch: Thursday, February 9, 2006
Age: 43
Tour of Duty: 5 years
Badge Number: 725
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: April 25, 1999
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Committed suicide
Trooper Steven Smith succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained almost 7 years earlier when he was shot in the neck while struggling with a suspect.
Another trooper and an officer from the Grove Police Department had responded to a cemetery to investigate reports of a murder. Shortly after arriving at the scene they were confronted by an armed man who held them at bay. Trooper Smith and the Delaware County sheriff responded to the scene to back up the officers.
As the officers negotiated with the man, he set his handgun down on a table. Trooper Smith and the sheriff took the opportunity to try and subdue the man. During the ensuing struggle, the suspect was able to grab his gun and fire it several times, wounding both officers. The man then committed suicide.
Trooper Smith's neck wound rendered him a quadriplegic. He was forced to take a medical retirement the following year and remained in a nursing home until passing away as a result of the wound.
At the time of his medical retirement, Trooper Smith had served with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for 5 years. He is survived by his two children.