WakeMed Garner campus officer dies after shooting; person of interest in custody, officials say
I’M JACKIE DEFUSCO. JACKIE. THANK YOU. THIS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, WHICH AS WE’VE MENTIONED, IS ALREADY BECOMING THE LONGEST IN U.S. HISTORY, COULD DRAG INTO ANOTHER WEEK. THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WILL NOT BE IN SESSION NEXT WEEK AFTER SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON DESIGNATED IT AS A DISTRICT WORK PERIOD, ADDING THAT MEMBERS WILL HAVE 48 HOURS NOTICE BEFORE NEEDING TO RETURN TO THE NATION’S CAPITOL. NO VOTES ARE HELD DURING DISTRICT WORK PERIODS, AND REPRESENTATIVES TYPICALLY RETURN TO THEIR HOME STATES. THE HOUSE WAS LAST IN SESSION ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, AND THE SHUTDOWN CONTINUES IN THE WAKE OF THE FIRST ELECTION OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S SECOND TERM. DEMOCRATS WON CONTESTED RACES IN MULTIPLE STATES, INCLUDING NEW JERSEY AND VIRGINIA. PRESIDENT TRUMP REACTED, SAYING THE SHUTDOWN PLAYED A ROLE IN HIS PARTY’S DISAPPOINTING PERFORMANCE. NOW, WITH THE MIDTERMS JUST A YEAR AWAY, NORTH CAROLINA SENATOR THOM TILLIS SAYS HE DOESN’T THINK THE RESULTS WILL HAVE MUCH OF AN IMPACT. WE’LL EITHER BE TALKING ABOUT GOOD THINGS THAT WE’VE DONE HERE OR BAD THINGS THAT WE’VE DONE HERE, BUT VERY SELDOM, ARE ELECTIONS DETERMINED BY A SHUTDOWN THAT HAPPENED A YEAR AGO. AND I’M WILLING TO. SENATOR TILLIS IS OPENING THE DOOR FOR A RACE THAT COULD HAVE MASSIVE IMPACTS ON THE SENATE’S. COMPOSITION. NEXT YEAR, TILLIS PLANS TO STEP DOWN AT THE END OF HIS TERM, AND FORMER GOVERNOR ROY COOPER AND FORMER STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR MICHAEL WHATLEY ARE THE FRONTRUNNERS IN THE BATTLE FOR HIS SEAT. OUR COVERAGE OF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES THROUGHOUT OUR MORNING NEWSCAST. IN OUR NEXT HALF HOUR, WE’LL BE BREAKING DOWN HOW LOCAL AIRPORTS ARE RESPONDING TO THE NEW AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL MEASURES THAT JUST WENT INTO EFFECT. FIRST, WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW A DEVELOPING STORY IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, THIS MORNING. THE DEATH TOLL IN THIS WEEK’S DEADLY UPS CARGO PLANE CRASH HAS RISEN TO 14. OFFICIALS EXPECT THAT NUMBER TO RISE AS EIGHT PEOPLE ARE STILL MISSING. THE NTSB IS LEADING THE INVESTIGATION INTO THIS CRASH IN THE WAKE OF THE INCIDENT, BOTH UPS AND FEDEX SAY THEY PLAN TO GROUND THE MD 11 IN THEIR FLEETS OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION. BACK TO THE TRIAD. WE’RE COVERING GUILFORD COUNTY NOW. THAT’S WHERE A GREENSBORO MOTHER REMAINS IN JAIL THIS MORNING, FACING CHARGES FOR THE DEATH OF HER SON EARLIER THIS YEAR, CAGE ADDICTION FACED A JUDGE FOR THE FIRST TIME YESTERDAY. WXII 12 BETHANY CATES TAKES US INSIDE THE COURTROOM. I’VE NEVER EVEN BEEN IN JAIL BEFORE THIS. AT HOME. NEVER HAD A RECORD, NEVER HAD ANYTHING. I’VE NEVER BEEN. EVEN IF I. IN A COP CAR. ON THURSDAY, GREENSBORO POLICE ARRESTED 22 YEAR OLD KIESHA DIXON, AND SHE WAS CHARGED WITH CHILD ABUSE, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY IN THE DEATH OF HER TWO AND A HALF MONTH OLD SON. THOSE INJURIES BEING HEMATOMAS, SKULL FRACTURES. ONE THING THAT WE DISCOVERED WAS WE RECEIVED THE AUTOPSY RESULTS, SO THERE WAS SOME HEALING RIB FRACTURES AS WELL. ON JANUARY 20TH, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS EMERGENCY CREWS WERE CALLED TO A HOME ON GATEPOST DRIVE FOR A CARDIAC ARREST CALL AND FOUND THE BABY BOY UNRESPONSIVE. AND HE DIED THREE DAYS LATER, ATTORNEYS SAY PRIOR TO THE 911 CALL, THERE WERE TEXT MESSAGES SENT BETWEEN DIXON AND THE CHILD’S FATHER LEADING UP TO THE INCIDENT. MISS DIXON SAID LET HIM CRY. NEITHER THERE. I’M TIRED OF THIS. I NEGLECTED YOU NEED TO PAY SOME THE INFANT WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL IN WHAT DOCTORS SAY WAS A VERY CRITICAL STATE, AND WHEN THEY ASKED THE MOTHER WHAT HAPPENED, SHE TOLD THEM HE FELL FROM THE TEXT MESSAGES AND THINGS SAID WAS HE FELL OUT OF HER FIRST. HE FELL OUT OF THE CHAIR. THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS DOCTORS WERE IMMEDIATELY CONCERNED AS THE INJURIES APPEARED TO BE INTENTIONAL. ONE OF THE DOCTORS STATED THAT THIS WAS NOT ACCIDENTAL TRAUMA, AND THAT THE SEVERITY OF THE INJURIES WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT WITH HIM BEING IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND BEING THROWN OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, AND WHEN DIXON WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, SHE WAS EMOTIONAL AND PLEADED FOR A BOND. I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST HAVE A BOND LIKE I’M NOT A MONSTER. THAT WAS BETHANY CATES REPORTING IN COURT, OFFICIALS STATED THE BOY’S FATHER HAD NO ROLE IN HIS INJURIES. DIXON WILL REMAIN IN JAIL WITHOUT BOND. SHE’S DUE BACK IN COURT ON DECEMBER 17TH. ALMOST ONE YEAR HAS PASSED SINCE GREENSBORO POLICE OFFICER MIKE HERRON LOST HIS LIFE IN THE LINE OF DUTY, AND NOW HE’S BURIED AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY IN VIRGINIA. IN ADDITION TO HIS SEVEN YEARS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, HE ALSO SPENT 25 WITH THE COAST GUARD. DECEMBER 23RD WILL MARK ONE YEAR SINCE HERRON WAS SHOT AND KILLED INSIDE A GROCERY STORE WHILE RESPONDING TO A CALL. HIS FAMILY SHARED THIS PHOTO WITH US. IT SHOWS HIS URN INSIDE THE NICHE AT ARLINGTON’S COLUMBARIUM. THIS IS OFFICER HERNDON’S FINAL RESTING PLACE, AND IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS IT WILL HAVE AN INSCRIBED COVER PLACED OVER TOP OF IT. THE FAMILY ADDED, QUOTE, THE RECOGNITION OF BEING INTERRED IN ARLINGTON IS THAT IT IS A PLACE FOR HEROES, AND MIKE IS DESERVING OF THAT FOR HIS SERVICE TO HIS COUNTRY AND HIS COMMUNITY. HE GAVE HIS LIFE IN SERVICE OF OTHERS, AND ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY IS WHERE THIS IS RECOGNIZED AND ETERNALLY REMEMBERED AS A FAMILY. WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT MIKE HAS BEEN PLACED IN THIS HALLOWED GROUND ALONGSIDE SO MANY OTHER AMERIC
WakeMed Garner campus officer dies after shooting; person of interest in custody, officials say
Updated: 4:48 PM EST Nov 8, 2025
A campus police officer has died after a shooting in the emergency department lobby of a North Carolina healthplex, according to WakeMed officials.In a statement from the medical center, the victim was identified as WakeMed Campus Police Officer Roger Smith, 59. Officials said he was shot and killed while on duty Saturday at 9 a.m. after “a struggle ensued.”Garner police said they are investigating the shooting alongside the North Carolina SBI. Police said a person of interest is in custody and there are no active threats to the public.Gov. Josh Stein released the following statement on social media regarding the shooting:”My heart goes out to the family of Officer Roger Smith, who was killed protecting patients and their families. Law enforcement officers put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe, and we are forever grateful for Officer Smith’s sacrifice. Please pray for his family and the entire WakeMed community in their time of need.”WXII’s NBC News partner, WRAL, is on the scene where multiple police cruisers are parked along the road in front of the hospital. Their Drone 5 flew above the hospital, where cruisers are blocking off entrances to the hospital.”The WakeMed family is coming together to respond to and process this tragic event. Additional staff and counselors are on-site to support our Garner ED and Campus Police teams,” healthcare officials said.At this time, the Garner Healthplex Emergency Department lobby remains inaccessible.>>This story will be updated when more information becomes available.
GARNER, N.C. —
A campus police officer has died after a shooting in the emergency department lobby of a North Carolina healthplex, according to WakeMed officials.
In a statement from the medical center, the victim was identified as WakeMed Campus Police Officer Roger Smith, 59. Officials said he was shot and killed while on duty Saturday at 9 a.m. after “a struggle ensued.”
Garner police said they are investigating the shooting alongside the North Carolina SBI. Police said a person of interest is in custody and there are no active threats to the public.
Gov. Josh Stein released the following statement on social media regarding the shooting:
“My heart goes out to the family of Officer Roger Smith, who was killed protecting patients and their families. Law enforcement officers put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe, and we are forever grateful for Officer Smith’s sacrifice. Please pray for his family and the entire WakeMed community in their time of need.”
WXII’s NBC News partner, WRAL, is on the scene where multiple police cruisers are parked along the road in front of the hospital. Their Drone 5 flew above the hospital, where cruisers are blocking off entrances to the hospital.
“The WakeMed family is coming together to respond to and process this tragic event. Additional staff and counselors are on-site to support our Garner ED and Campus Police teams,” healthcare officials said.
At this time, the Garner Healthplex Emergency Department lobby remains inaccessible.
>>This story will be updated when more information becomes available.