In the early morning hours of June 5, 2021, the life of 18-year-old Todd C. Smith was tragically cut short in Arlington, Washington. A senior at Arlington High School, he was just five days away from his graduation. The night before, he had been at a high school graduation party near the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River. At some point after leaving the party, he went for a run and approached a house in the 19800 block of 106th Avenue NE, which he apparently mistook for the residence where
he was staying.
The homeowner, believing Smith to be an intruder, confronted him. According to the homeowner's account to law enforcement, he warned Smith that he was armed and instructed him to leave the property. The homeowner stated that Smith continued to advance towards him through a sliding glass door, prompting him to fire his weapon in what he claimed was self-defense. Smith sustained two gunshot wounds and later died at a local hospital. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office officially ruled the cause of death as gunshot wounds and the manner of death as homicide.
In the aftermath of the shooting, no arrests were made, and the homeowner was reported to be cooperating with the investigation. Due to the fact that the teenager was a relative of a sheriff's deputy, the investigation was handed over to the Everett Police Department to avoid a conflict of interest. Friends of the slain teen, however, publicly questioned the homeowner's claim of self-defense. They described Smith as a young man with a huge heart and a wonderful spirit who would always put others before himself. They emphasized his small stature, around 5-foot-6 and 140 pounds, and the fact that he was unarmed, suggesting he did not pose a credible threat. A petition was started by his friends demanding that the homeowner be arrested and charged in his death. In a testament to how much he was loved, hundreds of friends, family, and classmates gathered at Smokey Point Community Church to remember a young man who was known for his vibrant energy and for showing up for people when they needed him most. At his high school graduation ceremony, his sister walked across the stage in his honor.
