Man who threatened officers with hammer faces four assault charges

A Marion man who was shot by police Saturday for throwing a hammer at the officers was charged Thursday with four counts of assault and another charge in Linn County District Court.

Christopher A. Lang, 41, was released Wednesday from St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids, and appeared in court today. He was shot in the right side of his torso Saturday night after throwing a hammer at officers, according to the criminal complaint.

Lang is charged with one felony count of assault on a peace officer while displaying a dangerous weapon, three aggravated misdemeanor charges of assault while displaying a dangerous weapon and a simple misdemeanor count of interference with official acts. If  convicted, he faces up to 11 years in prison.

Sixth Judicial Associate District Judge Casey Jones set a cash or surety bond for $10,000 on count one, $6,500 for counts two, three and four and $500 for count five.

Jones also placed no contact orders for the alleged victims.

Police were called Saturday to Lang's residence, 925-C 10th St., when an assault was reported. The alleged victims, his female roommate, the roommate's teenage son and the roommate's sister, told police Lang was suicidal and had assaulted them, according to a criminal complaint.

Sue Taube and Marcus Ruth were assaulted by Lang with the hammer, according to the complaint. Lang also caused Kelly Love to have a bleeding facial injury during the assaults.

Marion Police Chief Harry Daugherty said Lang met officers while holding a hammer and a broken bottle, and ignored eight to 10 commands to drop them.

According to the complaint, Lang told the officers he “wanted to die tonight.”

One of the officers discharged a Taser toward Lang, according to police. It knocked Lang down, but he got back up and threw the hammer at the officers and that's when one of the officers shot him in the right torso area.

The identity of the officer who fired hasn't been made public.

Daugherty said the officer who shot Lang remains on paid administrative leave. It appears the gunshot was justified, but an internal team of commanders is reviewing the incident, he said Wednesday.

An official with the Department of Corrections said during today's hearing that Lang had lived at the 10th Street address about one week. Lang has lived in Linn County for three years. He is unemployed and is on disability.

His previous criminal history includes drunken driving, several assault, and drug charges.