Grant Smith
Agency patch
Policeman

Grant Smith

Evarts Police Department — Evarts, KY
Felonious
End of Watch January 4, 1929
Age 45
The Vigil Panel 56 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Policeman Grant Smith was shot and killed from ambush by two men whom he had previously arrested for violating liquor laws. The men had been released on bond the previous day.

He was walking home through a schoolyard when he was shot in the back by a blast from a shotgun. The two men and two accomplices were arrested and charged with his murder.

Policeman Smith had been serving as the acting policeman for the city of Evarts at the time of his murder and was a deputy with the Harlan County Sheriff's Office.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and is buried in Turner Cemetery in Verda, Kentucky.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-4E0924CB
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Policeman Smith served with the Evarts Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Evarts community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Policeman Smith.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Evarts, Harlan County, KY
Platform Identity epd.harlan.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 4, 1929
Age 45
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Policeman Grant Smith is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 76.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Evarts Police Department, 4 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

Evarts Police Department
4
of 5 officers
80% Felonious
KY — Statewide
755
of 983 officers
76.8% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Grant Smith's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Grant Smith Compares

Age at Death
45
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Grant Smith is highlighted in Jan.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Grant Smith was killed by gun; unknown type.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909