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The family of Bobby Smallwood, a 44-year-old security guard fatally shot at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, has filed a $35 million wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital. They claim that the hospital ignored multiple warnings about the shooter, PoniaX Calles, whose escalating threats ultimately led to Smallwood’s tragic death in July 2023.
Alleged Security Failures
According to the lawsuit, hospital staff made five complaints about Calles in the days leading up to the fatal incident. Calles allegedly made violent threats and attempted to strike a nurse while accompanying his partner to the hospital. Despite these clear violations of the hospital’s workplace violence policy, administrators reportedly responded with email-based “support options” rather than immediate action.
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On July 22, 2023, Smallwood, an unarmed guard, was stationed near the maternity ward while security staff searched Calles’s partner’s hospital room. They discovered ammunition and multiple firearms. However, the lawsuit claims that for over 40 minutes, Smallwood was not informed of this dangerous discovery or that Calles still had another weapon in his possession.
Before hospital staff could declare a “code silver”—a critical alert signaling an active shooter threat—Calles encountered Smallwood in the hallway. He allegedly shot Smallwood in the neck, fatally wounding him, before fleeing the hospital. Police later shot and killed Calles as they attempted to arrest him.
History of Violent Behavior
The lawsuit details Calles’s violent past, including prior arrests for assault, disorderly conduct, and trespassing. In one previous incident, he allegedly stabbed someone in the face at a restaurant. The family argues that Legacy Good Samaritan should have removed Calles from the premises long before the shooting.
Family’s Fight for Accountability in Security Guard’s Fatal Shooting
Smallwood’s parents, Walter and Tammy Smallwood, expressed their ongoing grief and determination to hold the hospital accountable. They are seeking $30 million in economic damages and $5 million in non-economic damages.
“Every day we grieve the loss of our son and all the years ahead that should have been his to live,” the family stated. “Nothing can bring Bobby back, but we will not stop fighting until Legacy is held fully responsible for what they took from our family.”
Hospital’s Response after Security Guard’s Fatal Shooting
Following the security guard’s fatal shooting Legacy Health announced several security upgrades, including adding metal detectors, conducting bag searches, and equipping lead security officers with stun guns. However, at the time of the shooting, the hospital only checked for weapons at one entrance in the emergency department.
A Legacy Health spokesperson declined to comment on the lawsuit, according to local reports. The case highlights the dangers of unarmed security work and underscores the broader risks associated with workplace violence in the healthcare industry, as noted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
