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Lieutenant

William J. Smith

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department — St. Louis, MO

Felonious

End of Watch July 13, 1919

Age 54

Tour of Duty 28 yrs

The Vigil Panel 37 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 175

Incident

Lieutenant William Smith and Officer Thomas Ward were shot and killed after responding to the scene of a bank robbery at the Meramec Trust Company, at the intersection of Meramec Street and Virginia Avenue. A passerby had alerted the officers to the robbery and several officers surrounded the building. As the robbers came out, an intense shootout erupted. The getaway driver fled the scene, leaving the three armed men alone. A running gun battle took them to a house on Minnesota Street where the men took refuge in the basement. As officers attempted to surround the house, both Lieutenant Smith and Officer Ward were shot. The three men were eventually apprehended. Officer Ward succumbed to his wounds the following day and Lieutenant Smith succumbed to his wounds one month later. Lieutenant Smith was promoted to Lieutenant one day after he was shot. At the time of the incident, he held the rank of sergeant. The three suspects were convicted of murder. Two were sentenced to life and the other to 30 years. The one sentenced to 30 years was paroled in 1936. Three years later he was convicted of possession of counterfeit money and sentenced to five years in federal prison. One, 23, sentenced to life was paroled on June 27, 1946. The other, age 24, died in a prison hospital on April 12, 1942. He had been employed with the St.

Survivors

Louis Police Department for 28 years and was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

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Tributes

28 years. You could have gone home.
Lieutenant Smith gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 28 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Smith.

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

Agency

Department St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

Type Police Department

Location St. Louis, City of Saint Louis, MO

Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 13, 1919

Tour of Duty 28 yrs

Age 54

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

William 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.

Compare against

Time

In 1919, 212 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 7th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

William was 54. 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. William had served 28 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month

By day of the week

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