Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Mary Smith was shot and killed while checking on a suspicious vehicle on the 5300 block of Avenue H at 10:30 am.
Officer Smith had detained one subject and had placed him against the hood of her patrol car when another subject approached and opened fire on her. One round struck her in the chest, just above her vest, fatally wounding her. A second officer who arrived on the scene moments later was shot in the leg.
Two subjects were taken into custody immediately after the shooting. The shooting suspect was apprehended the following day and charged with capital murder. He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to death, but the Court of Criminal Appeals re-sentenced him to life without parole.
Officer Smith had served with the Fairfield Police Department for two months and had previously served with the Birmingham Police Department for 21 years.
Survivors
She is survived by her daughter, mother, two sisters, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-63B2967F- 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
21 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer Smith gave the Fairfield Police Department 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Fairfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Mary Freeman Smith 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Fairfield Police Department, 4 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Mary Freeman Smith's cause is highlighted.
How Mary Freeman Smith Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to death
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Mary Freeman Smith is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Mary Freeman Smith was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Fairfield Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
