Mason Griffith was a 34-year-old Detective Sergeant with the Hermann Police Department and the part-time Police Chief for Rosebud. He lived in Rosebud with his wife Jennifer and their two sons. Griffith grew up wanting to be an officer, joined the Bourbon Police Explorers in 2001, and enjoyed hunting, fishing, and kayaking; friends described him as having a heart of gold.

On the evening of March 12, 2023, Sergeant Griffith and Officer Adam Sullentrup answered a disturbance call at a Casey’s General Store on Highway 19 in Hermann to arrest a man on outstanding felony warrants. The man, identified as 35-year-old Kenneth Lee Simpson, produced a handgun and opened fire. Surveillance footage later showed neither officer had drawn a weapon when they were shot. Griffith was fatally wounded and died at a local hospital; Officer Sullentrup suffered critical head injuries and required months of specialized rehabilitation.

Simpson fled, barricaded himself in a nearby residence, and a roughly 14-hour standoff ensued before he surrendered and was taken into custody. The case remains a profound loss for the small community. If anyone knew Sergeant Griffith, his family, or witnessed the incident, please share what might help the record or the family’s remembrance.