In the quiet farming community of Hornick, Iowa, a tragic series of events unfolded on the evening of October 29, 2023, culminating in the death of 72-year-old Todd Sulsberger, a White male. The incident began when Sulsberger himself placed a desperate 911 call around 7:30 p.m., reporting that his son, 44-year-old Walter Sulsberger, was shooting at him at the family farm. Just 90 seconds into the call, a single gunshot was heard, and the line went silent.
This was the last time anyone heard from Todd Sulsberger.
When Woodbury County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the farm, they found a chaotic scene. Livestock were loose, and large hay bales had been set on fire. They soon located Walter Sulsberger, who was sitting in his pickup truck. What followed was a tense, hours-long standoff. Authorities, including the Sioux City Police Department and the Iowa State Patrol, brought in armored vehicles and established a perimeter. A crisis negotiator was in constant contact with Walter, who expressed that there would be no peaceful resolution and made threats towards the officers.
During the prolonged negotiations, Walter Sulsberger admitted to killing his father. He remained barricaded and heavily armed. As tactical teams attempted to move in around 2:45 a.m. on October 30, Walter opened fire on them with a rifle that was later found to have been illegally modified to be fully automatic. Law enforcement officers returned fire, and in the exchange, Walter Sulsberger was struck multiple times and died at the scene.
A short time after the standoff ended, authorities found Todd Sulsberger deceased on the property. An autopsy later confirmed he had died from a single gunshot wound to the head. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was called to investigate both the homicide of Todd Sulsberger and the officer-involved shooting of his son. The investigation concluded that law enforcement's actions were justified. No other suspects were identified, and no arrests were made in connection with Todd Sulsberger's death, as the sole suspect had been killed during the standoff.
