OH Sheriff's Deputy Suzanne Waughtel Hopper Shot & Killed During Violent Stand-Off at Enon Trailer Park

Sheriff's deputy Suzanne Waughtel Hopper shot & killed responding to report of gunshots at an Enon, OH, trailer park, gunman also dead.

Another police officer has been killed in the line of duty. According to the Springfield News-Sun, sheriff's deputy Suzanne Waughtel Hopper, 40, was shot and killed after she responded to a report of shots being fired into one of the the trailers at Enon Beach in German Township, OH, around 11:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Hopper leaves behind a husband and two children. What a terrible way for this family and town to start the new year. Hopper, who married last year, was shot as she tried to photograph a footprint in the mobile-home park.

German Twp. Patrolman Jeremy Blum was wounded in a gunfight with the shooter as police moved in to pull Hopper out and disarm the gunman. He was flown to Miami Valley Hospital with gunshot wounds to his arm and shoulder, officials say. Hospital officials listed his condition as fair late Saturday.

The gunman, whose name isn’t being released pending notification of relatives, was killed in the gunfight. A neighbor of the gunman called authorities at 11:25 a.m. to report that a shot had been fired into their trailer, said Kelly. Hopper was outside the gunman’s trailer when the man emerged with a shotgun, said Kelly.“He fired one shotgun blast, fatally wounding the deputy,” he said. Source: Springfield News-Sun

We'll see the monster who killed this officer soon enough. The latest string of cop killings is disturbing. Law enforcement's job is the protect the public, but with the tragedy marring agencies across the country, one has to ask who is protecting them? I would venture to say we will hear that the suspect is a career criminal who had no business being out on the streets. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Mrs. Hopper, who reportedly joined the sheriff's office in 1999. This was another senseless act of violence.

UPDATE#1: The suspect has been identified as Michael Ferryman, 57. Responding officers had tried to talk to Ferryman, when he opened fire. He seems to have had a history with the sheriff's office. This man is a scumbag for his actions. It is not clear if he committed suicide or was killed by an officer.