James Young Sherrill Jr Obituary, Death; – The individual who was fatally shot last week in an incident involving law enforcement along Highway 151 near Cascade has been identified as a 36-year-old resident of Linn County.
On Wednesday, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation released a statement identifying both the driver and the law enforcement officer who sustained injuries, as well as other officers involved in the shooting that took place on July 1.
The incident occurred during a traffic stop at approximately 4:25 a.m. on U.S. Highway 151, just north of the Highway 136 interchange near Cascade. The traffic stop was conducted by members of the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Dubuque Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Monticello Police Department, and Jones County Sheriff’s Office as part of a “multi-jurisdictional investigation,” as stated in the release.
During the traffic stop, the driver, identified as James Young Sherrill Jr., 36, allegedly brandished a handgun, according to officials. Gunfire was exchanged, resulting in the death of Sherrill, the sole occupant of the vehicle, while Sgt. Adam Williams of the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office was injured.
Sherrill had a history of convictions for various drug and theft offenses and had resided at locations in Cedar Rapids and Benton County, as per online court records.
Sgt. Williams was transported to MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center and subsequently to University of Iowa Health Care in Iowa City for medical treatment. He was later released from the hospital after receiving care for a gunshot wound and has been placed on critical incident leave.
At 46 years old, Williams is an 18-year veteran of the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. Sheriff Joe Kennedy of Dubuque County remarked last week that this incident marked the first shooting involving a Dubuque County sheriff’s deputy in “easily 30 years.”
Other law enforcement personnel involved in the shooting include Dubuque Police Officer Chad Leitzen, 49, who has served for 23 years, and Monticello Police Officer Cole Millard, 42, who has been with the department for two years.
The Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office sought the assistance of the DCI, which
