In Fort Smith, Arkansas, Officer Daniel C. Martinez, a 33-year-old male, tragically lost his life in the line of duty on March 23, 2007. On that day, he responded to a call to assist a woman in retrieving her child from a residence. The woman had earlier had a confrontation with her ex-boyfriend at the same location, which had resulted in his arrest.
Upon their arrival at the home, Officer Martinez and the woman were met at the front door by the brother of the man who had been arrested
earlier. After being told to wait a moment, the man closed the door. Shortly thereafter, the man fired a 9mm handgun through the door, striking Officer Martinez. The wounded officer was immediately transported to Sparks Regional Medical Center, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The individual who shot Officer Martinez fled the scene in a vehicle. A pursuit ensued, and he was later located by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol near Spiro, Oklahoma. Before he could be apprehended, the suspect took his own life. Officer Martinez had a history of service with several Oklahoma police departments before joining the Fort Smith Police Department on July 3, 2006. He was survived by his wife and five children.
