Hermann Police Officer and Washington native Adam Sullentrup is making progress.
That’s the update from Hermann Police Chief Marlon Walker. Walker was one of a contingent of law enforcement officers and family members who traveled to Colorado last weekend to visit Sullentrup as he continues his recovery.
Detective Sgt. Mason Griffith, 34, and Sullentrup, 31, were shot March 12 while responding to a call at Casey’s General Store in Hermann. Griffith died from his injuries, while Sullentrup was severely wounded by gunshots to his head and torso. Last month, he was transferred from the intensive care unit at Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur to Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado, which specializes in traumatic brain injuries.
Kenneth Lee Simpson, 35, of Steelville, faces several felony charges in connection with the shootings, including first-degree murder, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 26.
The group that traveled to Colorado to visit Sullentrup and his wife, Michelle, last weekend included Walker, Gasconade County Sheriff Scott Eiler and Maj. Roger Armstrong and Detective Sgt. Griffith’s wife, Jennifer, among others. Upon returning to Hermann this week, Walker spoke with The Missourian about Sullentrup’s condition and the continuing community efforts to support his and Griffith’s families through their ongoing ordeal.
While Sullentrup is still not speaking, he is now able to walk, Walker said, and he is receiving high-quality care at Craig Hospital. “It looks like it’s a pretty good facility and doing a lot for him,” Walker said.
Personally, Walker said, he is still attempting to process what happened.
“I mean it’s only been two months, so it’s kind of still fresh in my head,” he said. “I’m just trying to take it one day at a time and be here for my staff and try and do the best we can. It’s just something I never thought I’d be dealing with as the chief of police or as an officer in the little town of Hermann, but unfortunately we did, so we’re just doing the best we can.”
Walker has been police chief in Hermann for about seven years, and has been with the department for about two decades. Although he is not originally from Hermann, he said the community support he’s seen in the wake of the shootings exemplifies what the Missouri River town of just over 2,000 people is all about.
“That’s what Hermann is, who Hermann is. I mean it’s just a tight knit community, very supportive of law enforcement, fire department, EMS, military, just a very close knit community that really comes out and supports everyone,” he said. “Regardless of whether it’s a tragedy, or benefits, or whatever it is, they’ve always been there to support everyone in this community.”
Beyond Hermann, too, there has been an outpouring of support that has gone a long way toward helping the police department and the officers’ families cope with their loss and the challenges they still face, Walker said.
“Not just Hermann but just the surrounding counties and parts of the state, just the support we’ve received and been shown and the families, and like I said, police have taken a hit in some places and in the view of some people are not liked, but when something like this happens you really see how much support you do have in the communities and how many people do support law enforcement,” he said.
Numerous fundraisers for the officers and their families have already been held, with additional events planned. One of these is set for this Saturday, May 13, in Rosebud, where Griffith was also police chief. Originally planned as an UTV and ATV ride, the event has since expanded to include a silent auction and live auction, cake walk, dunk tank, bounce house, barbecue, beer garden and more. In addition to the officers’ families, a portion of the proceeds from the event will go toward a playground and memorial for Griffith at Rosebud Community Park.
Another major fundraiser, with all proceeds going toward the Officer Adam Sullentrup Recovery Fund, is the Back The Blue Benefit Concert, planned for June 10 at the American Legion in New Haven. The event will feature a performance by the band Unspecific Railroad. Tickets for the concert are available for $20, or $50 for tickets that also include dinner, dessert and drinks.
“If people want to donate any money that goes to the spouses of Officer Sullentrup and Detective Sgt. Griffith, there’s an account set up at Peoples Savings Bank in Hermann where you can donate,” Walker also noted.
He added that The BackStoppers, a St. Louis-based nonprofit that supports the families of fallen first responders, has “been here since day one when this all happened” and has continued to support the families.
“It’s an amazing organization that’s there for law enforcement when things like this happen and just something we need to support more of,” he said.
Including Walker, the Hermann Police Department consists of seven officers when fully staffed, and the department is still seeking to fill two vacancies in the aftermath of the shootings, he said. While the pace has slowed somewhat since the first few weeks after March 12, the HPD continues to receive visitors wishing them well.
“We still get a few people coming by,” Walker said. “Occasionally we’ll get some kind of, you know, food or snacks or whatever people bring by, things like that. Not as much as before, but people still do come by and offer their condolences or leave food or whatever they do.”
One thing that has not stopped is the influx of patches from law enforcement agencies nationwide and even from Canada, Walker said. Detective Sgt. Griffith was an avid collector of police patches, a passion he shared with his 10-year-old son, Karson, and law enforcement agencies have continued to send them in a show of support for the family.
“It’s a tight-knit community in law enforcement,” Walker said.