Mother-of-two police officer shot dead in Ohio

DailyMail UK ^ | 1-2-11

[rawhide]

A female police officer has been shot dead and another wounded after a dramatic trailer park gun battle in Ohio.

Mother-of-two Suzanne Waughtel Hopper, 40, had driven to the trailer park after reports came in of shots being fired in the Enon Beach area late Saturday morning.

As she examined the area and took photos, the door of a nearby silver trailer opened and a man fired a single shot from a shotgun.

Deputy Hopper was killed instantly by the blast.

The officer who had accompanied there desperately tried to reach her body as a gun battle then ensued at the trailer park just southwest of Springfield and about 50 miles west of Columbus.

Sergeant Dustin White had been interviewing a family whose trailer had been shot at when he heard his partner scream.

Enon Beach resident Angelina Inman said: 'He was itching to get her. He kept radioing in, can he please get her, and he was told no because it wasn't secure. You could see him crying - he wanted to get her, he wanted to get her bad.'

The as-yet unidentified man fired again on police who responded to the 'officer down' call, sparking a furious gun battle as officers returned fire with handguns and automatic weapons.

It was during this firefight that Patrolman Jeremy Blum, 32, was also wounded...

...The shooter, who has not been named until relatives have been notified, was also killed in the gunfight as officers from several different agencies converged on the scene.

[libh8er]

I am going to be called sexist but I think there are some professions women don’t belong in, especially young mothers. Now two young children will grow up motherless.

[rabidralph]

Would you feel better if she died in a car accident?

[TSgt]

I guess it’s okay for children to grow up without fathers...

And yes, that was very sexist.

[Fishtalk]

You got me thinking about it.

[AbolishCSEU]

I feel bad for her family but I don’t believe women should be police officers, fire fighters, soldiers, jail workers, etc.

It’s too risky and they put their fellow male officers in danger. My hubby who is built like a pro wrestler could easily snap most of the puny male and female sheriffs nowadays in half.

I’ll don my flame suit now for being so “sexist.”

[sargon]

The shooter, who has not been named until relatives have been notified, was also killed in the gunfight

Tragic when an officer dies in the line of duty like this.

I wonder if this assassin had a record, or had ever been in the system before...

[AbolishCSEU]

Definitely not ok to grow up with fathers; but then we have the family court system to faciliate THAT.

[Earthdweller]

"I am going to be called sexist but.....Now two young children will grow up motherless."And just exactly what makes it ok to grow up fatherless?

RIP to a brave officer killed in the line of duty.

[Farmer Dean]

She was shot in an ambush,never had a chance.
At least her killer was shot dead soon after,no long drawn out trail and endless appeal process for him.But her children have suffered an unimaginable loss.

[AbolishCSEU]

that is “definitely not ok to grow up WITHOUT fathers”

[Realman30]

No! You're not sexist, just spot on.

Female cops shouldn't be allowed in the field. PERIOD!

[Mears]

My father died at 32,leaving 2 of us.

That certainly wasn’t easy.

[Las Vegas Dave]

OHIO PING

Deputy Sheriff Suzanne Waughtel Hopper
Clark County Sheriff’s Office
Ohio

End of Watch: Saturday, January 1, 2011

Biographical Info
Age: 40
Tour of Duty: 12 years
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Date of Incident: Saturday, January 1, 2011
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: Shot and killed

Deputy Sheriff Suzanne Hopper was shot and killed after responding to a call of a window being shot out at a trailer park in Enon.

While conducting a preliminary investigation Deputy Hopper observed a footprint and took out a camera to photograph it. As she took photographs a male opened the door to his trailer and fired one shot at Deputy Hopper with a shotgun, killing her.

Additional deputies and officers from area police departments arrived at the scene and surrounded the trailer. A standoff ensued in which dozens of shots were fired between the suspect and officers. A police officer from the German Township Police Department was wounded and the suspect was ultimately killed during the shootout.

Deputy Hopper had served with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office for 12 years. She is survived by her husband and two children.

Agency Contact Information
Clark County Sheriff’s Office
120 N Fountain Avenue
Springfield, OH 45502

Phone: (937) 521-2050

Please contact the Clark County Sheriff’s Office for funeral arrangements or for survivor benefit fund information.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Agreed

[kearnyirish2]

There’s nothing sexist about it; I’m surprised that any PARENT is comfortable with this type of work. Here in NJ, more officers are killed in traffic accidents, but in a state this densely populated, with many drivers who a few months ago were riding animals somewhere else on the globe, it is a fact of life that our roads are dangerous.

[USNBandit]

It is time for law enforcement to get rid of campaign hats. She was evidently taking a picture of a footprint as the guy came out of his trailer and shot her at point blank range. When looking down those hats take away way took much peripheral vision.

[rawhide]

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C. includes more than 17,000 male officers killed in the line of duty and more than 200 female officers 1916 thru 2006. source:http://www.drbillywilbanks.com/trueheroines/addendum.html

[BigCinBigD]

I can understand your sentiments. But I doubt the shotgun cared which sex she was.

[FromLori]

Another officer was shot as well he is in the hospital a video is here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAjOIn7Mtc4&feature=player_embedded

My heart and my prayers go out to their families.