In what was meant to be a joyous celebration of his upcoming wedding, 41-year-old Christopher Smith, a male, was tragically killed on Friday, November 29, 2019, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Smith, a beloved pastor and owner of Premier Concrete Services, was at his bachelor party at Jake's Pub on the city's south side when the fatal incident unfolded. He and his fiancée, with whom he had been in a loving relationship for twelve years, were just two weeks away from their wedding day.
The
evening took a dark turn when a man, later identified as Derek Oechsle, became agitated and got into an argument with another person at the bar. Oechsle then pulled out a handgun and began to pistol-whip the individual. Witnesses reported that Smith, in a selfless act, rushed forward to intervene and try to disarm Oechsle. It was at that moment that Oechsle opened fire, shooting Smith. Another individual who was with Smith's party and had just come out of the restroom returned fire. Smith died at the scene.
His family and friends remember him as a hero who was always known to help those he loved, and even those he didn't know. His son, Cameron, described his father as the best man he ever knew and expressed pride in his father's heroic actions. In a final act of giving, Smith's organs were donated.
Four days after the shooting, police arrested 32-year-old Derek Oechsle in connection with the murder. In May 2021, Oechsle was sentenced to 55 years in prison for murder and criminal recklessness for his role in the fatal shooting.
