WakeMed officer Roger Smith, killed in weekend shooting, remembered as dedicated public servant

GARNER, N.C. (WTVD) -- Officer Roger Smith was being remembered Sunday by his coworkers, friends, and family and hailed as a hero.

Meanwhile, ABC11 also learned Sunday that the man facing charges in the connection with the deadly shooting of Smith was also shot during the altercation. He's still at WakeMed on Sunday and is under medical supervision.

Smith was remembered as a friendly face working at WakeMed Garner Healthplex. He was also recalled as someone dedicated to serving others, whether as a Garner volunteer firefighter, a Knightdale police officer and most recently for WakeMed Police.

Serving others is what he was doing Saturday morning when Garner Police say the suspect, Benji Martin Jr., 29, came into WakeMed.

Martin and Smith eventually ended up in a struggle in the lobby. Martin was shot and needed immediate treatment, but not before the police department said he had fatally shot Smith.

WakeMed and Garner Police haven't yet said what led to that struggle, but the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) called Smith's actions heroic.

"Had it not been for his heroic efforts to neutralize the threat, there could have been many more citizens injured or killed," the SBI said in a statement.

Emergency physician Dr. Josh McConkey said in a hospital or emergency department setting. It can sometimes be dangerous depending on what patients may be dealing with.

"You know, I've had a gun pulled on me in the past with a mental health individual," McConkey, an emergency physician. "It's something that's always in the back of your mind. It's a bit sad in that that's part of the territory."

He said that as the community mourns the loss of Smith, he hopes to get answers.

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"I know every emergency department focuses on these types of situations, and you really try to make it as safe as possible. I think we're going to see some investigations and see how this individual got into the department with a weapon like that," McConkey said. "And that's probably a security situation that needs to be reviewed, and in some cases, changes made to have people screened before coming into the department.

"And when you see a death of someone that's just such a valued part of the team and it just crushes you," he said.

Once Martin is released from medical supervision, from there he will be booked and charged with murder.

ABC11 spoke with Martin's father on the phone. He said he was advised by their attorney not to speak.