A white supremacist skinhead, Steven Timothy Snyder, robbed a bank in Wausaukee, Wisconsin. He also stole a car from one of the bank tellers.
After fleeing the scene of the crime, Snyder decided to switch cars. In his search of a new car to steal, he shot and killed Tom Christ, a 59-year-old, hard working, family man.
Snyder's crime spree ended in a shootout with police, in which he killed Wisconsin State Trooper Trevor Casper. Snyder was shot and killed by police.
Casper was a 21 year old trooper who graduated from the academy just three months ago and was on his first day of doing solo patrol:
Wisconsin State Patrol command staff members say Trooper Trevor Casper followed procedure to a tee as he approached what became a deadly situation near Fond du Lac.
Authorities say Casper, 21, was following Steven Snyder of Michigan, a bank robbery suspect who was also possibly a murder suspect, along Highway 41 to a Pick 'n Save parking lot in Fond du Lac. Casper had been contacting other officers who were arriving to the scene before a shootout took place between him and Snyder.
Lieutenant Colonel Brian Rahn referred to Casper's actions before the exchange of gunfire as "textbook" law enforcement practice.
"I can tell you no other law enforcement officers were injured," said Rahn. "As far as the gunfire to other vehicles, I can tell you I'm not sure what other vehicles would have been struck by gunfire."
"I did see Trooper Casper fall to the ground," Captain Anthony Burrell says, fighting back emotion.
Authorities say officers on the scene administered life-saving procedures to Casper after he was shot, but he eventually died at an area hospital.
Governor Scott Walker had his staff issue a terse and impersonal statement the next day and on Thursday, he ordered flags at half staff for Trooper Casper and a soldier from Wisconsin that had also died.
One thing Walker couldn't or wouldn't do was tear himself away from the campaign trail to honor Casper or comfort his family. Instead, Walker continued pandering to the rich and ultra-conservatives, making stops for a private meeting with the Arizona Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday and taking in a photo op in Texas on Friday.
It reminds one of George Walker Bush, who felt that it was more important to party it up with John McCain than to worry about the folks in New Orleans who died or were left homeless from Hurricane Katrina, although obviously not on the same scale.
The fact that Walker would put his political aspirations before honoring the ultimate sacrifice made by a public servant in the line of duty should tell you all you need to know about what kind of person he is.
