Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Randy Smith died as the result of complications of an inadvertent gunshot wound suffered on March 25th, 1995, while responding to a domestic disturbance call at 916 18th Street in Ensley.
An armed man was in the house with a small child who had been left inside as the mother fled the home at about 3:00 am. Officer Smith arrived on the scene and entered the home in an attempt to rescue the child. As he was rushing back outside with the child, another officer heard the commotion and was entering the home when the two nearly collided. The second officer's gun was inadvertently discharged and the round struck Officer Smith in the head.
Officer Smith was flown to University Hospital where he underwent several hours of surgery. He remained in a coma for several weeks following the shooting. The wound left him partially deaf, partially blind, and permanently disabled.
Officer Smith was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Birmingham Police Department for eight years at the time of the incident.
Survivors
He is survived by his three children, two grandchildren, and mother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-7AC41412- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Randall. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
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.
Officer Smith gave the Birmingham Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Birmingham community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Randall Versie Smith served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Officer Randall Versie Smith is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In AL, 182 of 643 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 28.3% of this state's fallen. That is 2.7 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Birmingham Police Dept., 14 of 49 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 28.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Randall Versie Smith's cause is highlighted.
How Randall Versie Smith Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Randall Versie Smith is highlighted in Dec.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
48 officers from Birmingham Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
