Erika Smith stops at the law enforcement memorial in the state Capitol’s courtyard. She points out her husband’s name carved on the monument and briefly caresses it with her fingers while talking about the events of Nov. 22, 2014.
When Leon County Sheriff Deputy Chris Smith responded to a house fire he was ambushed and instantly killed. The fire had been intentionally set. The occupant had threatened to shoot any law enforcement officer who knocked on his door. The murderer was later killed in a 12-minute shootout with off-duty Tallahassee Police officer Scott Angulo.
Erika Smith was at the Capitol Thursday to urge lawmakers to make it a felony to threaten first responders, teachers, elected officials and their family members with a firearm or weapon of mass destruction. Penalties would also apply for threatening public institutions. Smith is lobbying lawmakers on behalf of SB 436, sponsored by Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby.
She told the committee, her husband’s killer was a known threat, but free to walk the streets until he actually did someone harm.
“I think this law can prevent things like this happening again and anything I can do to prevent another family from walking in my shoes,” Smith said, pausing in mid-sentence. “It is my honor (to work) to prevent incidents like this happening again.”
Smith was the first to testify in support of the bill. After she spoke associations for police officers and public school districts waived their time in support. Others spoke of the time and money consumed by threats toward schools and events that turn out to be more of a nuisance than a danger.