Bobby Paul Smallwood, a 44-year-old White male, was a recent college graduate with his whole life ahead of him. Having earned a bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Portland State University, he found employment at Legacy Health in Portland, Oregon. Though he initially did administrative work, his large stature, standing at six feet five inches, often led to him being called to assist with security matters.
He eventually transitioned to a full-time, unarmed security guard role, a job his father was wary of, but one Bobby was not afraid to perform. Colleagues and friends remembered him as a kind, soft-spoken "gentle giant" with a smile that could light up a room and a protective nature, always willing to put himself in harm's way for others.
On the morning of Saturday, July 22, 2023, Smallwood was covering a shift at the Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital. His day took a tragic turn when a man named PoniaX Kanes Calles, 33, who had been at the hospital with his partner who was giving birth, became a threat. Calles had reportedly exhibited threatening behavior in the days prior, and on that morning, hospital staff discovered firearms and ammunition in his partner's room. As Smallwood was attempting to escort Calles out of the facility, the confrontation escalated. Positioned between the gunman and the staff and patients in a hallway near the birthing center, Smallwood was fatally shot. Another hospital staff member was also injured during the incident. Despite the efforts of hospital staff to save him, Bobby Smallwood succumbed to his injuries.
Following the shooting, the suspect, PoniaX Kanes Calles, fled the hospital, prompting a large-scale police manhunt. The search led officers to Gresham, a city just east of Portland, where they located Calles's vehicle. During a traffic stop, shots were fired by law enforcement, and Calles was killed at the scene. No officers were injured in the confrontation. In the aftermath, it was revealed that Calles had a history of arrests for allegations including assault and trespassing. More than a year later, Smallwood's family filed a $35 million wrongful death lawsuit against Legacy Health, alleging that the hospital was negligent and failed to follow its own safety protocols. The lawsuit claimed the hospital was aware of Calles's threatening behavior and that he was armed but did not take adequate measures to prevent the tragedy.
