Man sentenced for shooting at officers during 2023 standoff in Warner Robins

WARNER ROBINS — A man was convicted on Wednesday for shooting at law enforcement officers after eluding capture for two years, according to a press release from the Houston County District Attorney’s Office. 

On June 4, Renaldo Smith, 34, was found guilty of 12 counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer. He was sentenced to 60 years in the Department of Corrections following a two-hour jury deliberation.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred in January 2023. The Warner Robins Police Department and the U.S. Marshals attempted to serve an arrest warrant to Smith, who had been evading law enforcement for two years.

Police arrived at 209 Somerset Drive in Warner Robins and announced their warrant. Smith barricaded himself inside his home and fired shots at law enforcement. In response, the marshals retreated and called the Warner Robins Police Department’s SWAT Team and Hostage Negotiation Team.

The Hostage Negotiation Team attempted to communicate with Smith for approximately six hours, but he did not comply. Afterward, police deployed two gas canisters into the home, prompting Smith to shoot at law enforcement again.

Multiple witnesses among the law enforcement officers reported seeing Smith approach the door of his residence, raising two firearms and shooting toward them. He was ultimately struck in the arm by a return shot from law enforcement and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Multiple shell casings were discovered inside the residence, and several bullets hit a WPRD Bearcat and two neighboring houses on either side of the defendant’s home.

Judge Katherine Lumsden stated during sentencing that Smith had several opportunities to surrender peacefully but displayed a refusal to comply with the law.

Sgt. Brandon Smith, Inv. Keenan Henderson, Lt. James Bish, Lt. Kurt Lowry, Det. Gary Chambers, Ofc. Scott Welter, and Ofc. Nicholas Taylor from the Warner Robins Police Department, along with Special Agent Lee Weathersby from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, primarily presented the case. Assistant District Attorneys Liza McDaniel and Lina Khan prosecuted the case.

Khan and District Attorney Eric Edwards provided comments.

“The gun violence in our community must stop. Mr. Smith was hiding from law enforcement after committing dangerous offenses in our community and then chose to raise his firearms towards law enforcement who were just trying to serve him with an arrest warrant. He engaged in a dangerous, reckless, violent stand-off with law enforcement, where Sgt. Smith tried to deescalate the situation for six hours. Ms. McDaniel and I would like to thank the Warner Robins Police Department and every law enforcement officer on scene that day for protecting our community. Their outstanding police work allowed every person to return home to their families,” Khan said.

“This defendant made a choice to escalate a peaceful attempt at arrest into an hours-long standoff that put lives at risk—including his own. Thanks to the professionalism and restraint of law enforcement, no officers—or innocent neighbors—were harmed,” Edwards said. “We will always stand with the men and women who protect this community and send a clear message: if you open fire on police, you will be held accountable.”