AUBURN, Ala.-Auburn Mayor Ron Anders released the following statement:
"Our heart goes out today to the family and loved ones of Officer William Buechner who was tragically lost last night in the line of duty. Words are not sufficient to express our grief as we mourn the senseless loss of one of our own.
Please pray for his family, his loved ones and his friends. Please pray for the men and women of his other family, the Auburn Police Division. And please pray for the quick and complete recovery of his colleagues, officers Evan Elliot and Webb Sistrunk, who were wounded in the line of duty.
We have never before had to face the loss of a police officer in the line of duty. We honor Officer Buechner’s unwavering courage and that of his injured brothers in arms.
Because of the hard work of the men and women of the Auburn Police Division, we can rest knowing that the person who is alleged to be responsible for this act is in custody. Even as they grappled with their loss, our men and women in blue and their colleagues throughout the East Alabama law enforcement community worked tirelessly through the night to find the man responsible.
We thank them for their service.
I ask our community to come together to mourn and to heal. To come together to respect the privacy of these families as they do the same. To come together to be the Auburn family we have always been."