HANCOCK COUNTY– At the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, the flags are flying half staff to remember their fallen deputy, Lt. Michael Boutte, who was killed in the line of duty on Monday.
“It rocks the community. He was well thought of in this county,” Hancock County Sheriff Ricky Adam said.
The Sheriff said that Lt. Boutte was responding to a disturbance call of an attempted suicide at a home North of Diamondhead, when he was shot. Lt. Boutte was airlifted to UMC in New Orleans, where he later died. Another deputy on the scene shot the suspect, who’s still in the hospital, but the Sheriff won’t name him.
“I wouldn’t say his name right now to give him the exposure,” he said.
Instead he’d rather focus on Lt. Boutte’s legacy of being reliable, and a true leader with 20 years of experience in law enforcement.
“Mike was a fine fellow. He wasn’t just a great deputy, but a great person. He was committed to fairness, justice, and compassion. It has been tough,” Sheriff Adam said.
To help the Sheriff’s Office get through these tough times, the community is stepping up, dropping off food to show they care.
“My son is a deputy. There have been tears shed, because it is upsetting. It could have just as easily been mine, just really brings it home. There are a lot of people mourning together,” a mother of a Hancock County Sheriff’s Office deputy said.
Lt. Michael Boutte also served in the U.S. Air Force. He was a husband and a father to two children. The Hancock Sheriff’s Office is helping the family with funeral arrangements.
