Iowa Attorney General’s Office Concludes Officers Acted with Legal Justification in Dubuque County Shooting

DES MOINES—In a report issued today, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office has concluded that the July 1, 2025, fatal shooting of James Young Sherrill by officers from the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Dubuque Police Department, and Monticello Police Department was legally justified. 

The Attorney General’s conclusion was based on a review and investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. The investigation found that on July 1, 2025, members of the Dubuque Drug Task Force, in conjunction with additional local law enforcement agencies, conducted a traffic stop of James Young Sherrill. Sherrill had been under investigation for drug activity. 

Sherrill at first appeared to cooperate with the traffic stop by turning off his engine and placing his hands out the window. But when told to relinquish his keys and get out of the vehicle, he repeatedly refused for several minutes. He eventually re-started the truck’s engine but was stopped by Sergeant Adam Williams of the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office. He struggled with Sgt. Williams over the keys and was tased twice but continued to resist. When Sherrill then began to raise a handgun toward Sgt. Williams, Dubuque Officer Chad Leitzen fired on Sherrill. Despite his injuries, Sherrill continued to struggle with Sgt. Williams over the gun. Sergeant Willams, Officer Leitzen, and Monticello Police Officer Cole Millard fired on Sherrill until he was no longer a threat. Sherrill was pronounced dead in the ambulance while en route to the Dubuque County Hospital. A search of Sherrill’s truck revealed he was also carrying more than five pounds of methamphetamine, substances that appeared to be heroin, cocaine, and marijuana; a drug scale, more than $15,000 in cash, and a ledger.   

Sherrill was under investigation for drug activity; officers knew that he had previous firearms convictions, was known to go armed, and had indicated that before he would go back to prison he would commit “suicide by cop.” He lied that he had no weapons and no guns in the pickup, when in reality he had a knife on his hip and a handgun within reach that he would later use to try to shoot Sgt. Williams. He repeatedly disobeyed officers’ commands, signaled his intention to flee, continued to resist when tased twice, and grabbed a handgun and began to raise it toward Sgt. Williams. It was clear that Sherrill intended to begin shooting at Sgt. Williams, who was within arm’s reach, and other officers who were mere feet away. Sergeant Williams and Officers Leitzen and Millard were justified in using deadly force to respond to that imminent threat. 

The report is issued under the Attorney General’s independent authority under Iowa Code section 13.12 to investigate or prosecute conduct of law enforcement that results in death. 

A copy of the report is available here. 

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For More Information:

Jen Green 

jen.green@ag.iowa.gov