Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Jim Smith was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a subject who had assaulted and disarmed another law enforcement officer during a traffic stop near Grundy Center.
The subject initially fled as officers attempted to stop him but stopped and confronted them and antagonized them to shoot him. The man then assaulted one of the officers and disarmed him after placing the officer in a chokehold. He was able to get back into his car and fled to his home at 305 G Avenue.
Responding officers established a perimeter around the home and established an arrest team. When the arrest team entered the home, the man opened fire with a shotgun, striking Sergeant Smith. Other members of the team were able to remove Sergeant Smith from the home. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The subject shot at an Iowa State Patrol tactical team at about 11:50 pm. The man was wounded by return fire, taken into custody, and charged with murder. In May 2022, he was found guilty of first-degree murder, assault, and attempted murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Sergeant Smith had served with the Iowa State Patrol for 27 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, two children, mother, brother, and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IA-6C28DBC5- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
27 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Smith gave the Iowa State Patrol 27 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the people of Iowa. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant James Kyle Smith is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In IA, 129 of 226 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.9 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Iowa State Patrol, 3 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Kyle Smith's cause is highlighted.
How James Kyle Smith Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Kyle Smith is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
11 officers from Iowa State Patrol are honored on badge.nw.
