Fond du Lac Police held a brief ceremony at Hamilton Park this morning marking the one-year anniversary of the fatal shooting of Officer Craig Birkholz. Several hundred people attended the solemn ceremony. The bells at St. Paul’s Cathedral tolled 21 times.
Police Chief Bill Lamb gave a speech and former Chief Tony Barthuly and members of the Birkholz family laid a wreath at a memorial as bagpipes played. The two were impressed with the turnout.
AUDIO: Tony Barthuly (:13)
Birkholz was killed responding to a reported sexual assault call that became a standoff. Officer Ryan Williams and his K-9 Grendel were critically wounded during the incident, but have made full recoveries.
Bob Nelson-KFIZ