Roll of Honor
Incident
Trooper Steven Smith succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained almost 7 years earlier when he was shot in the neck while struggling with a suspect.
Another trooper and an officer from the Grove Police Department had responded to a cemetery to investigate reports of a murder. Shortly after arriving at the scene they were confronted by an armed man who held them at bay. Trooper Smith and the Delaware County sheriff responded to the scene to back up the officers.
As the officers negotiated with the man, he set his handgun down on a table. Trooper Smith and the sheriff took the opportunity to try and subdue the man. During the ensuing struggle, the suspect was able to grab his gun and fire it several times, wounding both officers. The man then committed suicide.
Trooper Smith's neck wound rendered him a quadriplegic. He was forced to take a medical retirement the following year and remained in a nursing home until passing away as a result of the wound.
At the time of his medical retirement, Trooper Smith had served with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for 5 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-D591DE7E- 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.
Trooper Smith gave the Oklahoma Highway Patrol 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oklahoma. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Trooper Steven Roy 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 OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 15 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Oklahoma Highway Patrol, 19 of 39 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 48.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Steven Roy Smith's cause is highlighted.
How Steven Roy Smith Compares
Offender Outcome
Committed suicide
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Steven Roy Smith is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Steven Roy Smith was killed by handgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
38 officers from Oklahoma Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
