State Trooper Shot In The Head At Routine Traffic Stop

State Trooper Paul Butterfield was shot after he pulled over a car on a road near Ludington for a routine license check. The officer was shot in the head by one of the people in the car at 6.20 pm on Monday. He was taken to Munson Medical Center to undergo emergency surgery but died during the procedure.

Thankfully, State Trooper Butterfield was able to contact dispatch before he was shot, relaying his exact location to them. The suspects, a man and a woman, were arrested after an exchange of fire with officers at a gas station in nearby Wellston. The male suspect was taken to hospital with minor gunshot wounds.

Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, the director of the Michigan State Police, said that State Troopers are wearing black tape on their badges, as a sign of respect to their colleague who was tragically killed:

“Tonight we lost a hero. The entire MSP family, as well as our greater law enforcement family, mourns alongside the Butterfields. Trooper Butterfield’s sacrifice will never be forgotten; may he rest in peace,” he said.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder released an official statement on Tuesday about the shooting:

“We thank Trooper Butterfield for his bravery, his service and his sacrifice. Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, friends, and colleagues.””This senseless incident is a grim reminder that our brave public safety officers put their lives on the line every day when they go to work protecting Michiganders. They are heroes. Our hearts break when a Michigan State Police trooper, or any of our other police officers or firefighters, is killed in the line of duty. Their loss is unquestionably felt by their families as well as the communities they serve and our entire state. We realize the extraordinary difficulty of their jobs and the sacrifices they make for us. A tragic event like this shakes us all, but it also bolsters our resolve to make our streets and our neighborhoods safer.”

The way in which State Trooper Butterfield was shot and killed in the line of duty on a routine traffic stop, is a shock to the local community. Authorities will now try to ascertain from the suspects in custody the exact events which lead up to the fatal shooting.