William Edward Petry, a 60-year-old male, was a respected law enforcement officer with a long career serving his community. His life was tragically cut short on Thursday, June 30, 2022, in Allen, Kentucky, during a deadly shooting incident. Petry was working as a Floyd County Sheriff's Deputy at the time of his death. He was a man with deep roots in the community, having previously served with the Prestonsburg Police Department for 14 years and the Kentucky State Police for 15 years before his
retirement. He had also taken on the role of Fire Chief for the Martin City Fire Department.
The events that led to Deputy Petry's death unfolded when he and other officers responded to a domestic violence complaint. They were attempting to serve a warrant and a protective order at a residence on Main Street. Upon their arrival, they were met with a hail of gunfire from a man inside the home. The shooter had positioned himself with multiple firearms and fired hundreds of rounds at the officers. Deputy Petry, along with Prestonsburg Police Captain Ralph Frasure, was killed at the scene. Another officer, Jacob Chaffins, succumbed to his injuries the following day. The incident also resulted in injuries to three other law enforcement officers and the county's emergency management director, and the death of a K9 officer named Drago.
The suspect in the shooting was identified as 49-year-old Lance Storz. He had barricaded himself inside the house for several hours before being taken into custody. A woman had reported to authorities that Storz had assaulted, unlawfully restrained, and raped her. He was subsequently charged with multiple counts of murder of a police officer, attempted murder of a police officer, and assaulting a service animal. However, Storz did not stand trial for his actions; he died by suicide while in custody. The community mourned the loss of Deputy Petry, remembering him as a dedicated public servant who had made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
