Butler County deputy stabbed during fire response; suspect arrested after claiming, "This is your unlucky day."

Butler County Deputy Mike Farthing, a 20-year veteran, was stabbed in the back during a vehicle fire response on Myers Road in Madison Township on February 5, 2026. He was attacked by 41-year-old Phillip Brandon Lovely, a resident of the property believed to have set the fire, who reportedly said, “This is your unlucky day,” before stabbing Farthing with a butcher knife-like blade. The knife pierced Farthing’s bulletproof vest, causing non-life-threatening injuries, including a possible lung nick. The deputy remained conscious and was transported to Atrium Medical Center by ground due to weather, where he was stable. Lovely was taken into custody, reportedly after swallowing pills, and is being held at the same hospital. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities emphasized the dangers officers face daily.