Robert Louis Smith
Agency patch
Police Officer

Robert Louis Smith

Charlotte Police Department — Charlotte, NC
Felonious
End of Watch January 15, 1987
Age 27
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
The Vigil Panel 131 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Robert Smith was shot and killed after he and other officers responded to a report of a man firing a gun into a condo complex at 0110 hours. During the search for the suspect Officer Smith located him and shined his flashlight on him. When he did this the suspect opened fire with a rifle, striking Officer Smith four times. Other officers responded to the sound of the gun shots and returned fire, wounding the suspect. The 32-year-old man was taken into custody and sentenced to life in prison. Officer Smith had served with the Charlotte Police Department for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, mother, sister, and two brothers.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Police Officer Smith gave the Charlotte Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Charlotte community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Smith.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, NC
Platform Identity charpd.mecklenburg.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 15, 1987
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 27
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Robert 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.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1987, 97 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 55th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Robert was 27. 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. Robert had served 7 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 rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Charlotte Police Department has 18 officers remembered here, Robert among them.

Police Officer Robert Louis Smith

Charlotte Police Department · End of Watch January 15, 1987

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 37-E

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