In the case of John Robert Smith Jr., a 58-year-old Army veteran shot and killed by a VA police officer at the Atlanta VA Medical Center on January 29, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston has ruled the shooting as justified.
Smith, who was reportedly struggling with mental health issues, arrived at the VA facility experiencing suicidal thoughts and sought assistance in the emergency room. During the admission process, he retrieved a knife from his belongings and reportedly threatened hospital staff, leading VA police to intervene.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Smith refused multiple commands to drop the knife and advanced toward a hospital employee, prompting an officer to open fire.
The officer fired multiple shots, ultimately resulting in Smith’s death. The autopsy later confirmed Smith was shot 13 times.
TOO MANY ADS? GO AD-FREE
Did You Know?: The ads you see on this site help pay for our website and our work. However, we know some of our readers would rather pay and not see ads. For those users we offer a paid newsletter that contains our articles with no ads.
What You Get: A daily email digest of our articles in full-text with no ads.
The District Attorney’s office, which reviewed footage and other evidence with the family, said that while Smith’s death is tragic, the officer’s use of force was legally justified due to the imminent threat posed to the hospital staff member.
