Richard Smith
1947
Richard Wellington Smith.
How He Died
Manner
Homicide
Cause
Gunshot wound
Mechanism
Firearm
What Happened
Police Officer Richard Smith was shot and killed while he and other officers searched for a suspect in the basement of a hotel. The suspect was wanted for failing to appear in court for assaulting his girlfriend with a knife. The suspect was hiding in a storeroom and saw Officer Smith through a crack in the wall. The man opened fire through a wooden partition, fatally wounding Officer Smith. The suspect, 46, then shot and killed himself. Officer Smith was a United States Army WWII Intelligence Officer veteran and had served with the Tulare Police Department for six months. He was survived by his wife and mother. In 1978 a street was named Richard Smith Street in Officer Smith's honor.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and mother.
Service Record
Also Served
Tulare Police Department
Police Officer
In Our Keeping
Permanent identifier
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Record added
August 2, 2026
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Last updated
August 2, 2026
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