Cars lined the parking lot of the Hillsdale County Sheriff’s Office. Their occupants were mourning the death of Deputy William Butler, an Iraq War veteran and father of five.
Eric Fiddler, who allegedly shot and killed 51-year-old Butler during a traffic stop on June 27, went to jail twice in 2018 on reduced charges. He was wanted on a warrant for larceny at the time of the shooting, according to online records.
This sort of violence is almost foreign to the rural county, which reportedly last saw a police officer die in the line of duty in the 1930s. The crime shook the usually safe community, which is home to conservative Hillsdale College. Flags at businesses and homes across the county have been flying at half-mast since the news broke. It serves as a warning that small towns can still experience great violence.
The Traffic Stop
When a detective sergeant with the sheriff’s office pulled over a vehicle in the country outside the City of Hillsdale close to 2 p.m., Butler responded as backup, according to WILX. Deputies arrested the driver and recognized Fiddler, the passenger, who had warrants out for his arrest.
Deputies tried to arrest Fiddler and a fight broke out, according to ABC 13. Fiddler then allegedly drew a handgun and shot Butler, who was driven to a hospital but soon died of his injuries.
“Being a police officer is difficult because there are so many things out of your control,” said Hillsdale County Prosecutor Neal Brady.
