Crime & Safety

Funeral for BART Officer to be Held Next Wednesday

By Bay City News Service

A public funeral will be held in Castro Valley next Wednesday for BART police Sgt. Tom "Tommy" Smith, who died after he was accidentally shot by a colleague during a probation search in Dublin on Tuesday.

BART officials announced this morning that the funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Neighborhood Church of Castro Valley at 20600 John Drive.

There will also be a public viewing on Tuesday, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the Chapel of the Chimes at 32992 Mission Blvd. in Hayward.

[Related article: Fallen BART Officer Lived in San Ramon]

Smith, a 23-year veteran of the department, was shot by a colleague at about 2 p.m. Tuesday while the officers were searching an apartment at 6450 Dougherty Road. 

he apartment was the home of a man believed to have stolen a car from the Hayward BART station on Jan. 15 and then used it to rob a victim at the Fruitvale station later that day.

The suspect, 20-year-old John Henry Lee, was in custody at the time of the search, and authorities have not yet released specific details about what went wrong the day of Smith's shooting. Smith is survived by his wife Kellie, who heads the BART Police Department's K-9 unit, and their 6-year-old daughter.


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