James Chip Smith, 41, a veteran officer who served in Red Bank, Chattanooga and Soddy-Daisy, was shot and killed on February 1, 2020, in the Kodak community of Sevierville, Tennessee.

Reports say Melissa Smith, 37, retrieved a .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun from the vehicle and fired a single shot that struck James Smith in the abdomen. Emergency crews found him wounded in the grass; he was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center and did not survive. Melissa Smith was taken into custody at the scene, admitted to shooting him, and was charged with first-degree murder and possession of a handgun while under the influence.

James Smith is survived by a son, and his fellow officers described him as dedicated and kind. If anyone in the Kodak or Sevierville area has information about that night or knew the Smith family, please share what is known with investigators.