In the early morning hours of March 31, 2014, Johnson City Police Officer David Wayne Smith Jr., a 43-year-old male, was shot and killed while responding to a disturbance call at Southern Tier Imaging on Harrison Street. An 18-and-a-half-year veteran of the force, Officer Smith was dispatched to the medical facility shortly after 7 a.m. following reports of a man acting erratically.
The man, identified as 43-year-old MRI technician James Clark, had arrived at work in what witnesses described as an 'obviously unstable mental condition,' claiming there was a bomb in the building and preventing his colleagues from entering.
Upon his arrival, and before he could fully exit his patrol car, Officer Smith was immediately attacked by Clark. A violent struggle ensued, during which Clark managed to disarm Officer Smith, taking his. 40-caliber service weapon. Clark then fatally shot Officer Smith. As a second officer arrived on the scene, Clark opened fire on him as well. The second officer returned fire, striking Clark multiple times.
Officer Smith was transported to Wilson Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. The suspect, James Clark, was also taken to the hospital and was pronounced dead later that morning. Investigators later searched Clark's vehicle and home but could not determine a clear motive for his actions, with his coworkers describing him as a 'model employee' with no known criminal history or mental health problems. The bomb threat was investigated by the Endicott Police Department bomb squad, but no explosive devices were found. David W. Smith Jr. was remembered for his sense of humor, outgoing personality, and dedicated service to his community.
