Shots fired Monday morning in Johnson City resulted in the death of a police officer and the suspect. 43-year-old David Smith, a Johnson City Police Officer of over 18 years, was shot along Harrison Street. Smith was responding to a disturbance at 32 Harrison Street. Within minutes of arriving on the scene, shots were fired.
Police have identified the suspect as 43-year-old James Clark, of Greene. Clark was an employee at Southern Tier Imaging along Harrison Street. When another officer responded to the scene, witnesses say Clark fired more shots, before the responding officer shot him and put him down. Clark was taken into surgery at nearby Wilson Hospital, but eventually died from his injuries. Chief Zikuski said that the reason behind Clark’s actions remains unclear.
Clark has no history of crime outside of a DWI that police say he was charged with 15 to 20 years ago. The 911 call that came in just after seven o’clock Monday morning for the initial disturbance was made by a man, and police have speculated that Clark may have made the call himself, but have not confirmed at this time. Officer Smith was married with one child.
