Ed Smith
Agency patch
Deputy City Marshal

Ed Smith

Port Arthur Police Department — Port Arthur, TX
Felonious
End of Watch September 24, 1902
The Vigil Panel 18 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Marshal Ed Schmitt succumbed to a gunshot wound received the previous day after responding to a disturbance call near the Sabine Hotel around 8:30 p.m.

Deputy Schmit and another officer attempted to arrest two men who were drunk and causing a disturbance. One of the men pulled out a gun and shot Deputy Schmitt in the left side of the chest. He returned fire and killed one of the men. The other suspect fled.

Deputy Marshal Schmitt used his anglicized name, Smith. He is buried at Jonesboro Cemetery in Jonesboro, Illinois.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-908395A7
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.
Deputy City Marshal Smith served with the Port Arthur Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Port Arthur community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy City Marshal Smith.

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

Agency

Location Port Arthur, TX
Platform Identity papd.jefferson.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 24, 1902
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Deputy City Marshal Ed 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 TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Port Arthur Police Department, 6 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 85.7% of this agency's fallen.

Port Arthur Police Department
6
of 7 officers
85.7% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,463
of 2,421 officers
60.4% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ed Smith's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Ed Smith Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ed Smith is highlighted in Sep.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ed Smith was killed by handgun.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518