Sheriff Michael Crocker of the Traill County, North Dakota, Sheriff's Department responded to a domestic complaint. (The Bulletin Notes).

Sheriff Michael Crocker of the Traill County, North Dakota, Sheriff's Department responded to a domestic complaint. The estranged husband was drunk and disorderly and had taken the couple's two children from a day-care provider. The husband held a knife to the throat of one of the two children, exited the house, and entered a truck with the two children. As the subject attempted to move the vehicle, officers quickly blocked him in. Sheriff Crocker saw the subject sitting inside the truck violently shaking the head of one of the children. He then observed the subject holding a large butcher's knife to the throat of the same child. Moments later, the subject exited the truck holding the knife to his son's throat. As he started walking quickly toward Sheriff Crocker, the sheriff repeatedly ordered him to drop the knife, but he refused. Then, with his knife in his right hand, the subject lowered the child down to his waist with his left arm and started running toward Sheriff Crocker, holding the knife straight ou t in front of him. The subject was approximately 6 feet from the sheriff when the sheriff fired one round, fatally striking the subject. As the subject fell to the ground, the child fell with him, but was not injured. Sheriff Crocker's courageous, unselfish, and professional actions in this very difficult situation saved the life of the innocent child, as well as the lives of other officers at the scene.