On a day in early spring, April 4, 2011, a sense of duty led 39-year-old White/Caucasian male, Sergeant Eric Stein of the Keokuk County Sheriff's Office, to a rural home on 249th Street in Sigourney, Iowa. Accompanied by the county sheriff and another deputy, Stein was there to question a man about an incident that had taken place the previous night. The officers approached the residence shortly before noon, unaware of the violence that was about to erupt.
As they neared the home, gunfire suddenly rang out. Sergeant Stein was struck by the shots and fatally wounded, his life tragically cut short in the line of duty. The other two officers immediately took cover and called for backup, initiating a tense standoff with the shooter who had barricaded himself inside the house. For approximately three hours, law enforcement surrounded the home, attempting to bring a peaceful resolution to the volatile situation.
The man inside, later identified as Jeffrey Alan Krier, eventually emerged from the house armed with a firearm. In the ensuing confrontation with an Iowa State Patrol tactical unit, Krier was shot and killed. It was later revealed that Krier had an extensive criminal history, including a prior assault on a police officer. No arrests were made as the sole suspect in the death of Sergeant Eric Stein was killed at the scene. Sergeant Stein, an 11-year veteran of the Keokuk County Sheriff's Office, was survived by his daughter, sister, father, and fiancée.
