On October 17, 1988, Lieutenant James L. Schmit, 41, a 20-year veteran of the Detroit Police Department, was shot and later died of his wounds after responding to a barricade situation at an apartment building at 4130 Springle Avenue. Officers had been sent that morning to investigate a disturbance after a mentally disturbed man, Charles Knowles, reportedly barricaded himself inside his unit and soaked the apartment with gasoline. Around 9:30 a.m., Knowles fired a .30-30 rifle through his front door, striking Schmit, who was outside.

Schmit was taken to Samaritan Health Center, underwent five hours of surgery, and died at 3:52 p.m. He was survived by his wife and three children. The standoff continued for several hours; Police Officer Frank Walls of the Special Response Team was also killed during the entry, and Knowles was shot and killed by other officers at the scene. An investigation noted Knowles had a history of paranoid schizophrenia and had reportedly been beaten and robbed the night before the incident.

If anyone has information about Lieutenant Schmit, his service, or that day at 4130 Springle Avenue, please share what is known.