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Lafayette A. Smith
Agency patch
Officer

Lafayette A. Smith

Omaha Police Department — Omaha, NE
Felonious
United States flag Nebraska flag
End of Watch January 14, 1909
Age 31
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
The Vigil Panel 23 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 24

Incident

Officer Lafayette Smith was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a robbery suspect near S 9th Street and Douglas Street. He had observed a man and woman struggling in the street at 12:45 am and attempted to arrest the man. During the ensuing struggle, Officer Smith was shot by the suspect. The suspect was later shot and critically wounded by a detective before being taken into custody. He died in the hospital nine days later. The suspect was one of three men arrested for the murder of Police Officer Charles Mayer of the St. Paul, Minnesota Police Department on February 1, 1902. All three men were released because of a lack of evidence and a key witness refusing to testify. Officer Smith had served with the Omaha Police Department for six years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Smith gave the Omaha Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Omaha community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Smith.

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

Agency

Department Omaha Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Omaha, Douglas County, NE
Platform Identity opd.douglas.ne.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 14, 1909
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 31
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Lafayette is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1909, 99 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 52nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Lafayette was 31. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Lafayette had served 6 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Omaha Police Department has 25 officers remembered here, Lafayette among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Lafayette A. Smith

Omaha Police Department · End of Watch January 14, 1909

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 52-W

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