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.
“As soon as they encountered the male, Sulerud encountered the male, a struggled ensued,” Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Josh Black 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.
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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