Nicholas Bernard Smith

Buffalo Police Department — Buffalo, NY

Felonious

End of Watch September 7, 1905

Age 37

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

The Vigil Panel 20 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 50

Incident

Patrolman Nicholas Smith was shot and killed after he and his partner went to investigate the sound of shots being fired. Patrolman Smith and his partner were on foot patrol when they heard gunshots. When they went to the location from which they heard the shots, they found a 14-year-old boy who had been shot in the leg. He told the officers that the man who shot him was hiding in the backyard of the residence they were in front of. When Patrolman Smith and his partner approached the backyard, the suspect opened fire, striking Patrolman Smith in the abdomen. Patrolman Smith was taken to a local hospital but died shortly after from his wound. The suspect who shot Patrolman Smith was never apprehended. Patrolman Smith had served with the Buffalo Police Department for 13 years.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-NY-DB342AC2
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.
Patrolman Smith gave the Buffalo Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Buffalo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Smith.

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

Agency

Department Buffalo Police Department

Location Buffalo, NY

Platform Identity bpd.erie.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 7, 1905

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Never apprehended

Patrolman Nicholas Bernard 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 NY, 754 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.1% of this state's fallen. That is 19.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Buffalo Police Department, 22 of 51 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 43.1% of this agency's fallen.

Buffalo Police Department

of 51 officers

43.1% Felonious

NY — Statewide

754

of 2,147 officers

35.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious