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James L. Schmit
Agency patch
Lieutenant

James L. Schmit

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
United States flag Michigan flag
End of Watch October 17, 1988
Age 41
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
The Vigil Panel 296 · Column 4 · Line 8 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 249

Incident

Lieutenant James Schmit and Police Officer Frank Walls were shot and killed while they and several other officers attempted to remove a mentally disturbed man from his apartment at 4130 Springle Avenue. At 7:30 a.m., officers arrived at the apartment after receiving reports of a disturbance. Officers evacuated all tenants when it was revealed that the subject had soaked his unit with gasoline. At 9:30 a.m., while attempting to talk to the subject, the man opened fire through the front door with a 30-30 rifle, mortally wounding Lieutenant Schmit, who was located outside. Lieutenant Schmit was transported to Samaritan Health Center, where he succumbed to his wounds after five hours of surgery. Following a six-hour siege, the suspect then shot and killed Officer Walls as he led a special operations team into the apartment during the standoff. The entry team had secured the lower level of the apartment, and as Officer Walls moved to the stairs, he was shot and killed. Other officers shot and killed the suspect. Lieutenant Schmit had served with the Detroit Police Department for 20 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

20 years. You could have gone home.
Lieutenant Schmit gave the Detroit Police Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Schmit.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Detroit Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 17, 1988
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
Age 41
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1988, 97 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 55th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 41. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. James had served 20 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Detroit Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, James among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Lieutenant James L. Schmit

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch October 17, 1988

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 17-W

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