Sgt. James K. Smith
Officer: Iowa State Patrol, Sergeant James K. Smith
Date: 4/9/2021 Location: Grundy Center, Iowa FACTORS (1,2,4,5,8,12,13,14,15)
Perpetrator(s) Involved: Michael Thomas Lang
Criminal Activity History/Involved: Yes, Lang had “at least seven arrests for drunken driving or public intoxication over two decades.”/ Yes, Lang was unlawfully operating a motor vehicle, fled from police and then assaulted an officer
Mental Illness: None stated; however Lang’s behavior was highly erratic and his yelling at a deputy to “Shoot me!” while attacking him is suicidal.
Substance Abuse History/Involved: Yes, Lang had a history of alcohol related incidents./None stated.
Race/Sex/Age: White/Male/41
What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At 7:22 p.m. on April 9, 2021, a Grundy police officer observed Michael Lang unlawfully operating a motor vehicle and attempted to pull him over. After fleeing and taking police on a pursuit, Lang stopped his vehicle and assaulted the officer, taking both his Taser and radio from him. Lang had the officer in a chokehold when a sheriff’s deputy arrived and at gunpoint told him to put his hands up. Again Lang disobeyed a lawful order, got back into his car and drove to his house with the deputy in pursuit. Additional officers arrived, set up a perimeter around Lang’s house and were advised by his father that Lang had several weapons inside. At approximately 8:55 p.m., the leader of the patrol’s regional tactical team, Sgt. Smith and four other officers made entry into the house.
Actions taken by subject toward police: When the officers searched for him upstairs, Lang shot Sgt. Smith with his shotgun, killing him. Smith was dragged out of the house and two officers who ran to the basement for safety ended up being held hostage by Smith who said he wanted, “to kill more police.”
Reactions by the police: At approximately 11:50 p.m. an Iowa State Patrol tactical team used an armored personnel carrier to attempt entry to retrieve the officers. When Lang shot at the vehicle, officers returned fire and incapacitated him with several hits.
How murdered? Sgt. Smith was fatally shot while conducting a tactical search for an armed suspect in his house.
What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? During the initial confrontation with the officers, Lang could have been justifiably shot while assaulting the officer and again after he forcibly took the officer’s Taser.
Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? Yes, police were justified to use deadly force during the vehicle stop, which would have preempted the necessity for a tactical entry which always puts those officers at a tactical disadvantage.
Outcome for the cop-killer: Lang was shot in the shootout with police, taken for medical care and is now in custody,“charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and assault on an officer.”
