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Police Officer

Nicholas Ryan Smarr

Americus Police Dept. — Americus, GA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch December 7, 2016

Age 25

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 166 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Police Officer Nicholas Smarr and Public Safety Officer Jody Smith, of the Georgia Southwestern State University Department of Public Safety, were shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence incident at a local apartment complex at South Lee Street and Country Club Drive, near Georgia Southwestern State University.

The officers had been notified that the male subject was punching holes in the apartment walls and that he had an active felony warrant. When they arrived on the scene the complainant advised them that the man was still inside of the apartment. Officer Smith went to the rear of the building as Officer Smarr announced himself at the front door. As Officer Smarr entered the apartment he observed the male subject entering the apartment from the back door.

He ordered the man to come to him, but the man instead fled out of the back door. Officer Smarr radioed that the man was fleeing and ran through the apartment. As both officers pursued the man on foot the subject opened fire on them, striking both officers in the head. Despite his wounds, Officer Smarr returned fire but did not strike the suspect. Officer Smarr immediately began to perform CPR on Officer Smith until he collapsed from his own wounds. Both officers were transported to Phoebe Sumter Regional Hospital where Officer Smarr was pronounced dead. Officer Smith was flown to a trauma center in Macon, Georgia, where he died the following day.

The suspect fled the scene but committed suicide the next day following a SWAT raid of a local residence.

Officer Smarr was a U.S Marine Corps veteran. He also served with the Americus Police Department for one year and had prior law enforcement experience.

Officer Smarr and Officer Smith had known each other their entire lives and were best friends. Officer Smarr was going to serve as the best man at Officer Smith's wedding in May 2017.

In February 2017, the university's public safety building was renamed the Nicholas Smarr and Jody Smith Memorial Building.

PRAYERS TO ALL FAMILY & FRIENDS. GOD BLESS THE PEACEMAKERS!!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!! BACK THE BLUE!!

ALLISON GREEN. RETIRED POLICE SGT. AMERICUS POLICE DEPARTMENT December 7th, 2024

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-GA-DBB24104
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Smarr gave the Americus Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Americus community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Americus Police Dept.

Location Americus, GA

Platform Identity apd.sumter.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 7, 2016

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 25

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Committed suicide

Military Service

Nicholas Ryan Smarr served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer Nicholas Ryan Smarr is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

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

Americus Police Dept.

of 5 officers

80% Felonious

GA — Statewide

548

of 903 officers

60.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious