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Officer killed in Auburn, Ala. was 13-year veteran of the force, officials say

Officer William Buechner was killed and two other officers were hurt while responding to a domestic disturbance in Auburn, Alabama.

AUBURN, Ala. — The Auburn, Alabama police officer who was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance has been identified as Officer William Buechner, a 13-year veteran of the force.

The Lee County coroner Bill Harris said the officer who was killed died in an emergency room.

"This is probably the worst day of my time here," said Auburn Police Chief Paul Register said. "Words cannot express the loss for this family, our family and this community."

Credit: Auburn Police Department
Officer William Buechner was shot and killed while responding to a domestic incident at a trailer park in Alabama on May 19, 2019.

Police said Buechner was shot and killed by 29-year-old Grady Wayne Wilkes when he responded to a domestic disturbance call at a trailer park.

Two other officers were hurt. They have been identified as officers Webb Sistrunk and Evan Elliott. Sistrunk has been with Auburn Police for eight years, and Elliott has been on the force for less than one. Both officers are expected to recover.

Credit: Auburn Police Department
Auburn, Alabama police officers Webb Sistrunk and Evan Elliott were hurt in a shooting with a suspect after a domestic incident. Another officer, William Buechner, was killed.

RELATED: Man arrested in murder of Auburn police officer

Auburn’s chief described Wilkes as a former military member who was working in the area and hadn’t had any previous contact with law enforcement in the area. The “blue alert” sent out after he fired on officers described him as wearing camouflage body armor and a helmet.

He was arrested after an intense overnight manhunt that lasted nine hours and ended less than a mile from the trailer park.

Wilkes has been charged with attempted murder for wounding officers Sistrunk and Elliott. District Attorney Brandon Hughes said authorities will seek capital punishment for Buechner’s death.

Credit: Auburn Police Department
Grady Wayne Wilkes is accused of shooting three officers, killing one, after a domestic incident at a trailer park in Auburn, Alabama.

"If you shoot a police officer, we're going to seek the death penalty, absolutely," he said.

Gov. Kay Ivey decried the violence.

"This is so tragic and so useless. I'm just heartbroken," she said Monday during an appearance in Montgomery.

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