WakeMed Campus Police Officer Roger Smith Shot Dead by Benji Martin Jr. Responding to Armed Disturbance at North Carolina Medical Facility

A WakeMed Campus Police officer, identified as Roger Smith, was shot and killed Saturday morning after responding to a disturbance involving an armed suspect at the WakeMed Garner Healthplex in Wake County, North Carolina.

According to WakeMed officials, the deadly shooting occurred around 9 a.m. on Saturday, November 8, inside the emergency department lobby of the facility. Officer Roger Smith, 59, was reportedly the first to respond when the situation escalated into a violent confrontation.

During the encounter, Smith became involved in a struggle with the gunman, identified as Benji Martin Jr., 29, of Garner, before being fatally shot. Despite immediate life-saving efforts by medical staff, Officer Smith succumbed to his injuries at the scene, according to ABC11.

Moments later, responding Garner Police Department officers exchanged gunfire with Martin Jr., who was shot and wounded. He was taken into custody and remains under medical supervision with non-life-threatening injuries, police confirmed.

Authorities say Martin Jr. faces one count of murder, though investigators have not yet determined what led to the gunman targeting the medical facility. Upon release from the hospital, he will be transferred to the Wake County Detention Center.

Garner Police Chief Chris Adams described the incident as a “heartbreaking and senseless act of violence,” adding that Officer Smith died protecting others.

A solemn procession of 60 to 100 law enforcement and fire vehicles accompanied Officer Smith’s body from WakeMed to the N.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) is assisting Garner Police in reconstructing the events leading up to the fatal shooting.

The WakeMed Garner Healthplex, located along U.S. Highway 70 in Garner, includes an emergency department with 12 private treatment rooms.

Officer Roger Smith was a 10-year veteran of WakeMed’s public safety team and a former Knightdale police officer who served from 1997 to 2013. Colleagues described him as a dedicated protector whose heroic actions likely prevented further loss of life.