By Megan Guza
The Tribune-Review, Greensburg
BUTLER CITY, Pa. — A Butler City Police officer was in surgery Tuesday morning and a Butler man was dead after a violent encounter that lasted about five minutes, authorities said.
The incident began with a 911 call around 6:54 a.m. about an “erratic male” on West Jefferson Street who was reportedly jumping in and out of traffic, said Joshua Black, a Pennsylvania State Police trooper and public information officer for the Troop D barracks.
It was not clear how many officers responded to the call, but they arrived on the scene at 6:57 a.m., according to Black.
“As soon as the Butler City officer encountered the male, a struggle ensued,” he said.
Within the next two minutes, the officer was stabbed multiple times, Black said, and he fired his service weapon at around 6:59 a.m. Police identified the man, who was killed in the shooting, as 35-year-old John Ebberts.
The wounded officer, a 27-year-old man who is a Marine veteran and has been with the department for three years, was taken via helicopter to UPMC Presbyterian, Black said. He was in surgery around mid-morning and in stable but critical condition.
#DEVELOPING Officers still on the scene in Butler after a police officer was stabbed and the suspect was fatally shot. PSP say that officer is in surgery in critical, but stable condition. @KDKA pic.twitter.com/IAIgsjfcUU
— Nicole Ford (@NicoleFordTV) August 24, 2021
Authorities did not release the officer’s name, nor did they say how many times the officer fired his weapon.
Black did not take questions after he issued the update, which took place about 10:30 a.m. He said further updates will be released via Twitter.
#BREAKING: Suspect dead, Butler city police officer critically injured after police-involved shooting. PSP says officer was stabbed by man acting erratically in traffic. The suspect was fatally shot. #NewsChopper2 over scene on West Jefferson St in Butler. @KDKA pic.twitter.com/aDrmv695bp
— Ian Smith (@ismithKDKA) August 24, 2021
Officers from the state police Troop D barracks are investigating, according to the release, along with the county’s District Attorney’s Office and the coroner.
Anyone with information is asked to call state police in Butler at 724-284-8100.
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(c)2021 The Tribune-Review (Greensburg, Pa.)