On a Monday morning in Fairfield, Alabama, 48-year-old Mary Freeman Smith, a Black female police officer, was responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle on the 5300 block of Avenue H. It was October 23, 2006, and what began as a routine check would end in tragedy. Officer Smith, a respected veteran of law enforcement, had only been with the Fairfield Police Department for two months after a distinguished 21-year career with the Birmingham Police Department.
While investigating the
vehicle, Officer Smith had detained one individual and had them placed against the hood of her patrol car. As she was securing the scene, another person approached and opened fire. A single bullet struck her in the chest, just above her protective vest, inflicting a fatal wound. A second officer who arrived moments later was also shot in the leg but survived the encounter. The sudden violence of the attack sent shockwaves through the community and the law enforcement fraternity.
In the immediate aftermath, a massive manhunt was launched for the perpetrators. Two suspects were taken into custody shortly after the shooting. The man suspected of firing the fatal shot was apprehended the following day. He was subsequently charged with capital murder. The investigation revealed that Officer Smith had been able to radio in a partial license plate number of the suspects' vehicle before she died, a crucial piece of information that aided in their swift capture.
The alleged shooter was later convicted of the murder of Officer Mary Freeman Smith. He was initially sentenced to death for his crime. However, the Court of Criminal Appeals later re-sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Officer Smith was survived by her daughter, mother, two sisters, and a brother. In a lasting tribute to her service and sacrifice, a section of Interstate 59/20 between mile markers 115 and 116 was designated as the "Officer Mary Freeman Smith Memorial Highway" in 2017.
