Late Sunday, Baldwin County Sheriff Deputy William “Bill” Smith died in the line of duty trying to rescue a swimmer.
According to reports, Smith was a seven-year veteran of the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and had previously served with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office.
In addition to Smith, another deputy and two swimmers are in the hospital recovering.
Tonight, we have lost a brave Deputy in the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and another is in the hospital after an accident while trying to rescue swimmers in distress. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and the entire Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office. pic.twitter.com/p1c1ncLAaU
— Attorney General Steve Marshall (@AGSteveMarshall) June 7, 2021
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall reacted to the news on his Twitter account and followed up with a statement.
“It is with great sadness that Alabama’s law enforcement community has suffered the loss of another hero,” Marshall said in the statement. “Baldwin County Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Smith
perished in the line of duty while heroically rescuing a swimmer in distress along Alabama’s Gulf Coast Sunday evening.”
“Deputy Smith’s brave and swift response to save the life of another should cause us all to pause and reflect upon the sacrifice of all law enforcement. We can never repay Deputy Smith
for putting the life of a potential victim ahead of his own,” he added. “Tonight, we offer our prayers to Deputy Smith’s family and his friends and colleagues in the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.”
State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Daphne), who represents the area in the State Senate also offered his condolences on Twitter.
My heart is broken tonight. Our thoughts and prayers are with the brave men and women of the BCSO and the family of heroes like Deputy Bill Smith who put their lives on the line every day to protect Baldwin County citizens and our visitors. pic.twitter.com/RX6AZTKekI
— Senator Chris Elliott (@SenatorElliott) June 7, 2021
Smith is married and has two children, according to the attorney general’s release.
@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly, and host of Mobile’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on FM Talk 106.5.
