18-year-old Charged After Shots Fired Over THC Cartridges in Cottage Grove

Jul 29

An 18-year-old from Cottage Grove is facing felony charges after allegedly firing a gun at two people during a confrontation behind a strip mall near Hy-Vee.

Landon Robert Smith is charged with two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, along with felony counts for possessing a firearm without a serial number and carrying a pistol without a permit. He is also charged with misdemeanor falsely reporting a crime.

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Cottage Grove police responded just after 5:15 p.m. on July 26 after Smith called 911 and reported that someone had fired a gun at him near the Hy-Vee on East Point Douglas Road. Officers found him at Hearthside Park, where he said he had arranged to meet two other teens behind the Planet Fitness to sell them his dirt bike.

Smith said one of them gave him fake money and a fight broke out. He told police that a third person, who he couldn’t identify, appeared with a gun, tried to rob him and ended up taking a THC cartridge before fleeing in the buyers' vehicle. Smith claimed that as the car drove off, the third person fired two shots at him.

Investigators later interviewed the two teens Smith had accused, both of whom gave similar accounts contradicting Smith’s version of events. One teen said Smith was the supplier of THC cartridges and that a fight broke out when another person—who had initially left—returned and tried to rob Smith. As the situation escalated, the teen said he saw Smith reach for a gun, load it and take a shooting stance. As the vehicle pulled away, he heard two gunshots and believed Smith was firing at both him and the other teen who was still on foot.

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Both teens later identified Smith as the person who fired the shots. One of them said Smith had sent a photo of the gun to him on Snapchat before the meetup.

Police searched Smith’s home under a warrant but didn’t initially find the gun. While in custody, Smith admitted he had tossed the firearm in a park and agreed to show officers where. Surveillance video later showed him running up a hill where he said he discarded it and police eventually recovered a Glock-style handgun with no serial number in that area. Spent casings were also found near the location where the teens said Smith had fired the weapon. Smith does not have a permit to carry a pistol.

An adult female witness also told police she saw a fight near a car and saw “the kid with the bike” chasing others, firing at the vehicle.

When asked by his girlfriend during a brief squad car conversation if he “really did this,” Smith reportedly nodded in response.

Smith made his initial court appearance on Tuesday, where bail was set at $5,000 with conditions. Prosecutors had requested bail be set at $30,000 with conditions. According to court records, Smith posted bail and was released from custody. If convicted of the most serious charges, he could face up to seven years in prison for each assault count. His next court appearance is scheduled for late August.

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