A 19-year-old man and his pregnant wife have been charged in the killing of a state trooper in northern Michigan's Mason County.
Eric Knysz is charged with murder of an officer as well as three other crimes, according to the Associated Press. His wife, 21-year-old Sarah Knysz, also faces two charges related to driving away from the scene.
Jack Knysz, the father of Eric Knysz, told WZZM that it was "the worst day of my life." The shooter's father is also a former police officer. He said the family was incredibly remorseful for their son's alleged actions.
Watch the video above for an interview with Eric Knysz's father, and watch the full interview at WZZM.
Authorities say the police officer, Paul Butterfield, pulled the couple over for a traffic stop at 6:20 p.m. Monday. Three minutes later, a motorist called 911 to report that a state trooper had been shot in the head.
Police traced the couple's vehicle to a nearby gas station in Wellston, Mich. There, they exchanged gunfire with the young couple before taking the pair into custody. They were both hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
But Butterfield, age 43, died late Monday night during emergency surgery. The 14-year trooper was an Army veteran. Police say they were able to catch the couple so quickly because the trooper relayed location and vehicle information to the dispatcher.
"What he did was perfect," McIntire said of Butterfield's final moments during a news conference at the state police's Rockford post. "You can't prepare for something like this. He did the right thing."
All flags on state buildings and at Michigan's Capitol in Lansing were lowered to half-mast on Tuesday to honor the fallen trooper.
“It is with a heavy heart that we ask flags to be lowered in honor of a brave man who gave his life in service to others,” Gov. Rick Snyder (R) said in a statement released Tuesday. “We continue to keep Trooper Butterfield’s family, friends and colleagues in our thoughts and prayers.”
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