Saturday marked one year since the murder of Iowa State Patrol Sergeant Jim Smith of Independence.
Smith was responding to an incident in Grundy Center on April 9th, 2021, in which a suspect barricaded himself inside his home after fleeing from a traffic stop and assaulting an officer. The suspect, Michael Lang of Grundy Center, shot and killed Smith as he and three other Iowa State Patrol troopers entered the home.
Lang is charged with First Degree Murder, Attempt to Commit Murder and Assault on a Peace Officer. His trial is set for May 9th at the Hamilton County Courthouse in Webster City – an hour west of Grundy Center.
