End of Watch: Lt. Michael Boutte, Hancock County, Mississippi

Local law enforcement agencies across the U.S. are offering their condolences after it became known that another selfless law enforcement officer was gunned down and killed in the line of duty. Lt. Michael Boutte of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office was shot and killed on February 1 while responding to an attempted suicide call in Hancock County, Mississippi.

#BREAKING A Hancock Sheriff’s Deputy is being airlifted to UMMC in New Orleans after being shot and critically injured near Kiln.

The suspect was also shot and is being airlifted too.@WLOX pic.twitter.com/bNmviOitik

— Andrés Fuentes (@news_fuentes) February 1, 2021

Following the shooting, Boutte was choppered to a hospital in New Orleans where he died from his injuries.  Sheriff Ricky Adam of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office said that the deputy was responding to a home on Caesar Necaise Road on Monday afternoon when he was shot by someone at the property.

Adam said another deputy arrived at the scene and shot the suspect who fired at Boutte. Both the deputy and suspect were taken to hospitals in New Orleans for treatment. ~ WLBT

Sheriff Adam described Lt. Boutte as an “incredible deputy and more so, a fine person. He was a mentor to our younger deputies and I know he will be greatly missed by his peers. You never saw him without a smile or a positive attitude.”

Lt. Boutte was an Air Force veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm, attended the U.S. Marine Corps Police Academy and served in the reserves while devoting the last eight years of his life to the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.

A hero has died from gunshot wounds. We are sending thoughts and prayers of comfort to ⁦@hancock_sheriff⁩ Lt. Michael Boutte’s family, his friends and his colleagues. May he rest in eternal peace and may God see all who loved him through this moment. https://t.co/qeVTf8Tdx5

— Chief Art Acevedo (@ArtAcevedo) February 2, 2021

Lt. Boutte was previously awarded the Life Saving Medal for saving a child’s life. He was also credited with spearheading National Crime Night Out and initiating the Silver Alert Database for the City of Diamondhead, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The Volusia Sheriff’s Office in DeLand, Florida announced yesterday that they would hold all of Lt. Boutte’s family, loved ones and brothers and sisters in uniform in their hearts and prayers and they will, “honor this young man’s sacrifice by wearing mourning bands and lowering all flags at Volusia Sheriff’s Office locations to half-staff in his memory.”

(Source: Volusia Sheriff’s Office)

~ Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today   /   Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter