My Friend Was Murdered For No Reason

Everyone has their thoughts on Law Enforcement. I have been a cop for over 8 years and I have come across people who had good reasons for their negative opinions and many who were just ignorant. With that being said, not all cops are good people. But no one dislikes a bad cop more than a good one because people tend to treat us all like we are terrible people. We are not and the majority of Law Enforcement are just good people doing their best to help.

Will was as good as they come. His mother was a dispatcher, his father was a retired fire chief. Will himself became a dispatcher before he transitioned over to a Patrol Deputy. He was just made into a man who wanted to help. It was his calling. He served many years and is one of the best FTOs (Field Training Officers).

Was.

Last week, April 2, 2025, Will was killed in the line of duty. Its a risk we all take, we all know its a possibility everyday. We get the call and we imagine all the ways it can go bad so we prepare and we stay vigilant. This was not one of those calls. No one knows why it happened. No one would have seen it coming. There was nothing he could have done better or differently. It was not that kind of call.

Will was not supposed to be working. He agreed to work an extra shift for overtime and was helping out. Till the very end because he was not supposed to take that call either. He was headed home. He was done. But Will being the person he is said he would take care of it on the way. The call was a very common one. One we respond to many times a day. A man was causing a disturbance at the Dollar General, just verbally, and the cashier wanted him trespassed.

Will arrived, the man was calm and not being difficult at all, no argument. I would also like to point out this man is known to us. We all have dealt with him but for nothing more than being a nuisance. No violence, never arrested by us, nothing that would ever indicate what he would do.

10 seconds. They spoke for 10 seconds. All Will did was walk in, had a brief 10 second exchange between them as Will followed the man out of the store. That man then pulled a gun, turned around, and shot Will several times. Two bullets missed the vest.

To a great credit to Will, he was able to pull his weapon and fire back. Two men lay there dying. One man was pronounced dead on scene. The other, Will, was given CPR and emergency field medicine until the paramedics arrived. He was rushed to the hospital and taken into surgery with an unstable heartbeat and not breathing on his own. He did not make it through.

There was no reason. The man could have just walked off. He didn't have to talk to Will. He wasn't getting arrested. There was no argument. All he had to do was go leave. There was no reason.

Will has....had, two children and they are wonderful kids. His daughter is one of my favorite students. I love her and I am breaking for her, not just for the loss of her father, my friend, but also for the loss of something inside her. I can see it. She won't be the same. Won't be as bright as she always shined. Not for a while at least. There is nothing I can say to her. I can't ask her if she is okay, she's not. All I could do is check in to make sure she is eating, resting, and letting her know I was there is she needed me. I told her Will left the very best parts of himself with her and her brother. Now I have to wait. Wait for her to shine again or reach out to me. I can wait.

This death has changed some viewpoints for me and solidify others. I have choices to make and I am unsure where to begin but there is one thing I am certain of. I want out.

-Rose-