Fond Du Lac Police Officer Killed In Shootout

From the Fond Du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac is mourning one of its finest today and praying for the recovery of another after a gunman opened fire early Sunday morning, killing a police officer and critically injuring another.
It is the first time in nearly 50 years that a Fond du Lac Police Department officer has been killed in the line of duty.
Officer Craig Birkholz, 28, was shot in the upper chest and died at the scene.
Officer Ryan Williams, 33, was shot twice and was taken by helicopter to Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah where he underwent emergency surgery. He is expected to make a full recovery. He was listed in critical condition Sunday. His K-9, Grendel, also was shot and injured.
Williams was shot once in the left shoulder and once in the right chest, just below the collarbone, according to Dr. Raymond Georgen, medical director of trauma at Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah.
“It is miraculous that neither bullet went through the heart,” said Georgen.
Georgen described Williams as very fit and at the peak of his life.
Georgen said Williams sustained significant lung injuries, but is responding to commands. Georgen was optimistic about his prospects for recovery.
Williams is in Theda Clark’s intensive care unit, but authorities did not give an updated condition report. Earlier in the day he had been listed in critical condition.
Another officer was injured when he fell down a flight of stairs while responding to the call on Lincoln Avenue about 6:30 a.m.
The gunman, James M. Cruckson, 30, of 24 S. Lincoln Ave., turned the gun on himself sometime later Sunday morning while police were involved in a nearly six-hour standoff with the Army veteran.
Fond du Lac Police Chief Tony Barthuly said Birkholz and Williams were wearing bullet-proof vests.
http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20110320/FON0101/110320041/Fond-du-Lac-police-officer-killed-line-duty?odyssey=tabtopnewstextFRONTPAGE
This is has been a bad stretch for police officers. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, there have been 8 deaths since March 8th and the majority of those were killed by gun shots or assault. http://www.odmp.org/
May the family of the officer who psssed away and the police officers in and around Fond Du Lac find peace.