One police officer died Tuesday and another was critically injured after responding to a domestic violence call in Hunstville, a town situated in northern Alabama. According to the local police department, events started to unfold at approximately 4:45 p.m. (local time). At that time, authorities arrived at 4600 Governors House Drive after receiving a tip that shots had been fired at the scene. Upon arrival, they quickly located an injured woman.
As state Attorney General Steve Marshall recounted, while Officers Garrett Crumby and Albert Morin were assisting the woman and two minors, a gunman shot at them and subsequently barricaded himself in an apartment.
Both were transported to Huntsville Hospital, Morin underwent surgery and is in critical condition. Crumby did not overcome his injuries and his death was reported at 10:30 pm. This was reported by Huntsville Police Department Chief Kirk Giles:
This is a devastating loss for the our department, the Huntsville community and the State of Alabama. We send our heartfelt condolences to the officer’s family as they mourn their loved one who made the ultimate sacrifice. As we grieve with our fallen officer’s family, we have another officer fighting for his life. Please keep all our officers and the entire department in your prayers.
The woman was hospitalized and is receiving treatment. The event, reported Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, has shocked the entire town:
This is a painful night for the City of Huntsville and for our police family. We are heartbroken. Words cannot express our loss. We have been overwhelmed by the show of love and support from our community, and we stand united with our police officers and their families in this tragic moment.
Attacker of Huntsville officers arrested
At 6:20 p.m., the Hunstville Police Department reported that the suspect in the shooting that killed Crumby had been taken into custody. He was identified as John Robert Laws, a 24-year-old man.
Laws was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Details about his injuries were not released to the public. However, within hours, the Madison County Jail reported that the suspect had arrived at the jail and was facing charges of felony capital murder of a law enforcement officer.
