BUTLER, Pa. — The Butler City police officer who was stabbed by a man he then shot and killed on Tuesday remains in critical condition, authorities said.
The officer has been identified as 27-year-old Michael Sulerud. He is a Marine Corps veteran and a three-year veteran of Butler City Police.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help with Sulerud’s medical expenses, Butler City Police said.
Butler City police were called just before 7 a.m. to West Jefferson Street for a man “acting erratically and jumping in and out of oncoming traffic,” a news release said.
“As soon as they encountered the male, Sulerud encountered the male, a struggled ensued,” Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Josh Black said.
During the struggle with the man, the Sulerud was stabbed multiple times, police said. Sulerud then shot the man, who died.
Sulerud was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital in critical but stable condition, police said. He was taken into surgery.
“They have a tough job and, you know, they put their life on the line all the time,” Roger Hoffman, owner of Hoffman Auto Parts, said. “It’s a shame. I mean, this is our world, this is what it’s come to. Butler’s been a nice little town, and we’ve sort of been exempt from a lot of this stuff to the last 10 or 15 years. It just isn’t what it used to be.”
The man who was shot and killed was identified as 35-year-old John Ebberts of Butler City.
The suspect’s partner said Ebberts was fun-loving, caring and would do anything for anyone, but he struggled with a mental illness that would sometimes take over. He added Ebberts had never hurt anyone before.
The PSP Troop D Major Case team is investigating, along with Butler County’s district attorney’s office and coroner’s office.
Anyone with information is asked to call PSP Butler at 724-284-8100.
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