In the winter of 1985, the town of Anaconda, Montana, was shaken by the tragic death of a dedicated public servant. On the evening of February 10th, Lieutenant Timothy J. "Sox" Sullivan, a 54-year-old Caucasian male, responded to a domestic disturbance call at a residence on Haggin Street. A veteran of the United States Navy who served in the Korean War, Sullivan had been with the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Department for 18 years and was a respected figure in the community.
Upon arriving at the house, Lieutenant Sullivan received no answer at the door. Concerned for the welfare of the woman who had made the call, he made the decision to enter the home. Unbeknownst to him, the woman's husband had forced her and their two children into the basement. As Sullivan began to descend the basement stairs to investigate, the husband ambushed him, firing a single shot from a. 357 caliber handgun.
The gunman then proceeded to murder his wife before taking his own life. Lieutenant Sullivan succumbed to his injuries, his life cut short while in the line of duty. The incident left the community in mourning for a man who was not only a dedicated law enforcement officer but also a husband, a father to five children, and a coach for youth sports programs. Due to the perpetrator's suicide, no arrests were made in connection with Lieutenant Sullivan's death.
