Deputy Sheriff Clendon Paul West Sr., aged 27, was shot and killed on September 11, 1995, while on duty in Smithfield, North Carolina. Deputy West and another deputy were responding to a call to verify the address of a man wanted on several warrants. Upon arriving at the mobile home park, they were met with gunfire. Deputy West was fatally wounded, and the other deputy was also shot and injured.
The suspect, a 31-year-old man, was apprehended two days later at a city rail station in New York City.
The suspect was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to death on June 20, 1996. As of June 9, 2023, he remained on death row. Deputy West is survived by his wife and two sons. In honor of his sacrifice, the Market Street's Neuse River Bridge in Smithfield was renamed the Deputy Sheriff Clendon Paul West Jr. Memorial Bridge in October 2015.
Deputy West's death was a tragic event that deeply affected the community and his colleagues. His dedication to his duty and the ultimate sacrifice he made are remembered and honored by those who knew him. The case brought attention to the dangers law enforcement officers face daily and the importance of their service to the community.
