Oliver Wendell Smith, Jr.

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC

Felonious

End of Watch February 26, 1997

Age 27

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Badge 3361

The Vigil Panel 143 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 130

Incident

Officer Oliver Smith was shot and killed outside of his apartment on the 4400 block of Rena Road in Forestville, Maryland, while off duty during a robbery attempt. Officer Smith was returning home from his shift in civilian clothes when three suspects approached him as he was exiting his vehicle outside of his home. During the robbery, they made him lie face down. As they searched him, they found his duty weapon and badge and then shot him three times in the back of his head as he lay on the ground. The three suspects were arrested and charged with first-degree murder. One suspect plead guilty to felony murder and was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years for a handgun violation. The suspect who fired the gun received life in prison without parole. The third suspect testified against the other suspects and was given life with a 35 year suspended sentence. Officer Smith had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for three years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and five-year-old son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-DC-0DC36A97
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Smith gave the Metropolitan Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Smith.

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

Agency

Department Metropolitan Police Department

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity mpdc.dc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 26, 1997

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 27

Badge Number 3361

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Life without parole

Officer Oliver Wendell Smith, Jr. 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Metropolitan Police Department, 70 of 131 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.4% of this agency's fallen.

Metropolitan Police Department

of 131 officers

53.4% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious