The Killing of Suzette Babler

On January 24th, 2009, Suzette Babler, known as Sue, was living in Loves Park with her husband Kirby Babler.

Sue and Kirby had recently co signed a personal loan for a friend. In the weeks before the shooting, the friend allegedly stopped making payments, leaving the Bablers financially responsible. Sue later confronted the friend, and an alleged dispute resulted in her arrest by Erik Meadors of the Loves Park Police Department. According to reports, this was Sue’s first arrest and she had never even received a traffic ticket before.

After a family friend posted bond, Sue returned home. It was alleged that she then retrieved an unloaded Smith & Wesson .357 revolver. Kirby later told reporters it was the first time he had seen Sue handle a gun. He stated the household’s firearms and ammunition were stored separately and only he knew where the bullets were kept.

Sue reportedly paced through the house and backyard holding the gun, prompting a neighbor to call police. Officer Erik Meadors was among the first officers to arrive. While other officers approached the front of the home, Meadors went to the backyard.

According to Meadors’ account, Sue ran out the back door into the yard while holding the unloaded revolver. Meadors stated he ordered her to drop the gun and that she raised it toward him, leading him to shoot and kill her. No other witness account was referenced in the description of the shooting.

Following her death, Kirby and friends told reporters that Sue struggled with depression. She had previously organized a neighborhood watch group and worked with police to increase patrols in local parks.

The shooting was investigated by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office and ruled justified. Erik Meadors later served as a K-9 officer for the Loves Park Police Department.

This was the first police shooting in Winnebago County in 2009 and the 19th deadly force incident in the county during the 2000s.