Hospital Officer Fatally Shot in One of Several Employee Shootings this Week

Safety at Work

Garner, NC (WorkersCompensation.com) – A police officer working at a hospital was shot and killed on Saturday, one of several employees killed or injured while working this week.

The officer, Roger Smith, 59, was working at the WakeMed Garner Healthplex in Garner, N.C., just outside of Raleigh, around 9 a.m. when he was shot, police said. Prior to the shooting, Smith was involved in an incident with someone in the lobby of the hospital that escalated to the shooting. Officers said Smith was taken to WakeMed Raleigh, where he died from his injuries

Garner police said that "medical personnel at the scene described Officer Smith as a hero whose actions likely prevented further loss of life."

"Officer Smith dedicated his career to protecting others, and even in his final moments, he put the safety of others before his own," Garner police chief Chris Adams said in a statement. "Our condolences go out to the Smith family, the WakeMed Campus Police Department, and the entire WakeMed staff."

Benji Martin, Jr., 29, also of Garner, was charged with his murder.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said Smith was protecting patients and their families when he was killed.

"Law enforcement officers put themselves in harm's way to keep us safe, and we are forever grateful for Officer Smith's sacrifice," the governor wrote in a social media post. "Please pray for his family and the entire WakeMed community in their time of need."

In San Antonio on Saturday, three people were shot dead at a landscape supply company.

According to San Antonio Police Chief William McManus, the people involved in the shooting were employees of the landscape supply company. McManus said two males and one female at the company were shot.

McManus identified the shooter as Jose Hernandez Gallo, 21, an employee of the company. Police said Gallo entered the business and began shooting employees there. Other employees fled the scene seeking safety, officials said. The three victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

After securing the area, police found Gallo, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Officials said in a press conference that the shooting was not random, but that a motive was still unknown.

"There may be others wounded, but we're not sure," McManus said.

On Thursday, a suspect in Kansas City, Mo., allegedly shot a CVS employee eight times before asking witnesses to call 911.

Court documents said police in North Kansas City were called to a CVS Pharmacy around 3 p.m. on Nov. 7 for a shooting. Police said when they arrived, they found Rusty Donovan, 42, dead behind the checkout counter.

The suspected shooter, Antonio Serrano, 29, was taken into custody at the scene.

Detectives said surveillance footage showed Serrano enter the store and walk to the checkout counter where he pointed a handgun at a female employee. The video then showed him point the handgun at Donovan and open fire. As Donovan tried to escape, Serrano leaned over the counter and fired additional shots at Donovan, the video showed. After shooting Donovan eight times, Serrano then walked around the store to find an employee to call 911 so he could turn himself in.

Detectives said Serrano had recently separated from another female employee who worked at the store. She was not working when Serrano came to the store, however. The female employee had been living with Donovan at the time of the shooting, police said.

Court documents showed he had previously visited the store to talk to the woman, and police had been called to the store because of threatening texts Serrano had sent.

On Friday, Serrano was charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm.

“I commend the North Kansas City Police Department for a rapid and ongoing investigation that allowed us to file charges on this horrific crime,” Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said in a news release Friday. “Our prayers are for all those affected by this shocking and brutal act of violence. All defendants are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.”

And in Florence, S.C., police are searching for two suspects in a robbery and shooting at a grocery store.

Police said they responded to a call at 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 in regard to a robbery and shooting at the Oakland Grocery in Florence. Upon arrival they found an employee in the store with a head injury and a gunshot wound to the leg.

According to their investigation, police said two males had entered the store. One jumped over the counter, waved a gun at an employee and took money from a register. The same subject took the employee into an office, hit them in the head multiple times with the gun and shot the employee in the leg.

The employee was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The subjects fled the area on foot and are asking anyone in the area with any information about the attack to come forward.

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