Michael Ferryman
ENON — Hundreds of pages of interviews, incident reports and statements from law enforcement officers shaped a grim timeline of New Year’s Day this year, when Michael Ferryman shot and killed a Clark County sheriff’s deputy for reasons that will likely never be understood.
Ferryman, a Clark County man with a long history of mental illness, shot Clark County Sheriff’s Dep. Suzanne Waughtel Hopper once in the face, killing her instantly as she investigated a report of shots fired at Enon Beach Recreation Park.
In an ensuing shootout that lasted only about 40 seconds, authorities said Ferryman fired one more shot, which struck young German Twp. Police Officer Jeremy Blum in the arm and chest.
A lengthy examination of the crime scene showed there was no exact count of the amount of firepower unleashed on Ferryman’s mobile home that morning, but at least 75 bullet holes were discovered in his trailer. Ferryman was hit seven times, including a fatal round to the face from a detective’s patrol rifle.
On Friday, prosecutors and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office released hundreds of pages of documents that provide a detailed overview of the event that ended with two dead and one officer seriously injured.
An investigation from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation showed that the incident may have actually begun the night before the standoff.
Donald Northrup, manager at Enon Beach, told investigators that Maria Blessing, Ferryman’s longtime girlfriend, complained to him on Dec. 31 that a neighbor’s dog was getting loose and had been defecating in their yard. Northrup spoke to David Harrison, who lived in a nearby trailer. Northrup was told the issue would be resolved.
But on New Year’s Day, prosecutors said the residents of a trailer on lot 84 at Enon Beach heard a man yell for them to get out.
Residents initially thought it was a brick, but a single shotgun blast had struck the trailer.
Andy Wilson, Clark County prosecutor, said authorities believe it was the first shot Ferryman fired that day.
Deputy Suzanne Waughtel Hopper was one of only four deputies and one supervisor who were on duty.
Wilson said Hopper, a 40 year-old wife and mother, was responsible for covering the central part of the county. Her beat extended roughly from North Hampton to U.S. 68.
On that day, prosecutors said Hopper had already been working overtime since 3 a.m., and continued into her regular shift that began at 7 a.m.
At 11:25, dispatchers took the complaint that a shot had been fired into the Enon Beach trailer. Hopper was the first to respond to the scene, at 11:34 a.m. Sgt. Dustin White, a supervisor, also arrived a short time later. Dispatchers had restricted radio traffic, a common practice when deputies take a particularly dangerous call. But prosecutors said when Hopper arrived at Enon Beach, she saw the trailer residents standing on the road and determined they were not a threat. She canceled the restricted radio traffic.
In the meantime, Blessing, Ferryman’s girlfriend, was unaware of what had happened. A report from Ohio BCI&I showed that Blessing had gone shopping with a friend to the Dollar General, between 9 and 10 a.m. Blessing said Ferryman had remained at home to take a nap.
At the campground, Hopper briefed White on the situation, and began investigating footprints that were found in the dirt near the trailer that had been struck by gunfire. It was the last time Hopper was seen alive.
Sgt. White was speaking to the victims of the initial shooting and helping inspect possible injuries when he heard Hopper yell his name. The next sound was a single shotgun blast.
According to numerous reports released Friday, other individuals, including Donald Northrup, the manager of Enon Beach, heard her cry out as well. Northrup told investigators it did not sound like Waughtel was in distress when she yelled.
As victims of the first shooting fled, White called for Hopper several times. She did not respond.
White grabbed a patrol rifle and began a sweep of the area where he saw her last. As he turned a corner, White saw only Hopper’s feet, a pool of blood, her hat and her camera.
Through the window of a neighboring silver trailer, White suddenly saw Ferryman standing with a firearm pointed in the air. White leveled his rifle, but it was not yet clear whether Ferryman was the shooter, so White took cover and began to call for additional help.
“I repeat, 69 (Hopper) has been shot and I cannot check her,” White told dispatchers. “I cannot check her.”
Wilson, Clark County prosecutor, said by that time, law enforcement was beginning to pour into the trailer park. Despite the tragedy, he said White calmly directed traffic and set up a perimeter to ensure Ferryman didn’t escape.
“He did an absolutely fantastic job of pinning Ferryman down,” Wilson said.
Law enforcement officers rolled in from throughout the county, including police from German Twp., additional deputies, the Springfield Police Division and Clark County Sheriff Gene Kelly, who was on his way to a New Year’s Day lunch when he received a call on his cellphone.
Kelly and Blessing, Ferryman’s girlfriend arrived at nearly the same time. According to reports, Kelly quickly spoke to her and determined that Ferryman was alone in the trailer, that he was armed, and that he had ammunition.
With the help of Springfield Police, Kelly set up a public address system and urged Ferryman to surrender. But numerous reports show there was never any reply.
“He never communicated, except with his shotgun,” Kelly later said of Ferryman.
Surrounding Ferryman’s trailer, authorities began to move in. Reports later showed that many held out hope that Hopper was still alive. But they also knew anyone who tried to reach her would likely be shot as well.
As deputies and police established their operations in and around a trailer next to Ferryman’s, Kelly gave them a green light to shoot Ferryman.
“If you get a shot, you can take it,” Kelly told his deputies.
At 12:42 p.m. that day, Detective Perry Roeser fired the first of more than 75 shots that would rip through Ferryman’s trailer. Roeser, who had staked out a spot inside the nearby trailer, saw Ferryman through the window holding a long gun. Roeser fired, and watched Ferryman go down.
The first shot set off a wave of gunfire as law enforcement unloaded their clips on Ferryman’s trailer.
Jeremy Blum, a German Twp. police officer, Detective Richard Blumfield and Deputy Chad Eubanks also fired on the trailer. As they watched the glass of Ferryman’s trailer shatter, they believed Ferryman was firing back. In addition, one of the rounds fired by authorities struck a box of ammo inside the trailer, creating a flash and smoke that added to the confusion.
A cease-fire was called to calm the situation. By then, Roeser had emptied his magazine and Detective Ethan Cox moved in to take his place.
Despite being wounded, Ferryman continued to fight.
As Cox watched, he saw Ferryman move back toward the trailer’s window, preparing to fire at Blum. Both Ferryman and Cox fired at nearly the same time.
Ferryman got off one shot, striking Blum in the left arm and chest. As Blum scrambled out of the line of fire, Kelly and other officers pulled him to safety and got him medical attention.
Blum is still recovering from his injuries but is hoping to return to service later this year.
As Ferryman fired, Cox also got off four rapid shots into Ferryman’s position using an assault rifle.
At least one of those shots struck Ferryman in the abdomen, investigators said.
Investigators said they know Ferryman moved to the back of the trailer, where he reloaded. A smear of blood was found on the back wall of the trailer. He began to move forward again when Cox saw him through the window and fired two more shots as he passed.
One of those .223 rounds was the fatal shot that hit Ferryman in the face.
It was the final shot fired that day.
By then, SWAT teams from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Springfield Police Division and Fairborn arrived. Using an armored vehicle, they deployed smoke and pulled Hopper’s body from the scene. Her body was taken by Care Flight to Miami Valley Hospital.
When they collected her personal belongings during the investigation, Hopper’s Fuji digital camera contained photos of footprints, and the damage that had been done by Ferryman’s initial shotgun blast.
SWAT teams used a camera on Ferryman’s trailer, saw he was down, and forced their way in.
Ferryman had been shot seven times, including one shot that grazed his face.
Wilson, Clark County’s prosecutor, said the shootout had lasted only 40 seconds.
Evidence collected after the shooting showed that although Ferryman had been hit several times, he continued to fight.
Wilson said Ferryman had taken a spent round from the chamber of his shotgun. The live round that was entered into the chamber was splattered with blood, showing he had loaded it despite his injuries.
The Harrington & Richardson 12-gauge shotgun Ferryman used was found with the hammer cocked back, ready to fire.
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