UPDATED ON SATURDAY @ 7:11 AM... Breaking News... Officer Involved Shooting in Henry County

Matt Boster - Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: Matt Boster
Date: Jun 02 2017 7:14 PM

HENRY COUNTY:  7:00 PM... We have received reports that officer involved shooting has occurred in Henry County on hwy 431 and Henry County Road 64.

Reports are one suspect is down and Abbeville Rescue and Headland Rescue have respond to the scene. Alabama State Troopers are also on the scene and will be handling the investigation into the shooting. No other details are available at this time.

We DO NOT know which agency or agencies are involved. We will update when more information comes available.

UPDATED @ 7:35 PM

Reports are One suspect has been shot and another one in custody. So far no law enforcement are injured.   

UPDATED @ 7:45 PM

Highway 431 south bound is closed. The north bound lanes of traffic is now a two lane.

Preliminary information, ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE OKAY.  One suspect in custody and one suspect was shot. Reports are this is an officer involved shooting.

Henry County Sheriff Will Maddox and Sheriff Deputies are on the scene along with Abbeville Police Chief Noel Vanlandingham and members of Abbeville Police, Headland Police, Alabama State Troopers, Dale County Sheriff Deputies are on the scene.

More details to follow.

UPDATED @ 8:16 PM

According to the Henry County Sheriff Will Maddox; a deputy made a routine traffic stop on a vehicle and one of the suspect began to fight the deputy on the side of the road. A citizen stopped to help the deputy when the second suspect reached for a firearm which caused the deputy to have deadly force on the second suspect. ALEA investigators are on the scene and interviewing the any and all witnesses.  

UPDATED @ 9:41 PM.    

The Henry County Deputy was transported to a separate Dothan Hospital where he received some injuries.

The suspect was pronounced dead at SAMC by Henry County Coroner Derek Wright.

UNDERSTAND FOLKS....the "suspects" not the "deputy" made the conscious decision to resist the officer and attempt to obtain and use a weapon.

When people place officers in that situation the officer(s) have no other choice but to use deadly physical force. In the end the officer(s) MUST go home safe. 

MANY THANKS to the private citizen willing to risk his life and safety to assist the Henry County Deputy. Your actions saved the life of the law enforcement  officer.

We have more scene pictures. We are holding them because Henry County Coroner Derek Wright is attempting to make contact with the next of kin.

PRAYERS to all involved.

UPDATED SATURDAY @ 7:11 AM

Henry County Coroner Derek Wright drove to Union Springs last evening and met with Union Springs Police Department and notified the next of kin of the death.

The deceased has been identified as Charles Darnell Baker, Jr. of Union Springs Alabama.

In what was a "routine" traffic stop on Friday evening turned into a tragic set of events. Because of a brave black male who was witnessing a lone Henry County Sheriff Deputy in a fight with a person of which he had stopped the life of the Henry County Sheriff Deputy was saved. Unfortunately the suspect(s) forced the Henry County Sheriff Deputy to use deadly physical force in order to save his life but also the life of the brave black male who stopped to help.

The deputy and one suspect were in the road. The one suspect had assaulted the Deputy. The passerby stopped when he saw the Deputy in trouble. As they were getting the suspect under control the second suspect is reported to have exited the vehicle and is reported to have displayed a weapon. At that moment the Henry County Sheriff Deputy ( we do not know the verbal exchange ) was forced to make the split second decision and the use of deadly physical force was required.

According to the witness the Deputy, prior to the shooting, was "in trouble" with this suspects as to his life and was in a physical altercation where he ( the deputy )was being attacked. The black male witness who assisted said the deputy was JUSTIFIED in his use of deadly physical force.

The deceased is a black male. The deputy is a white male. The witness of the incident that saw the deputy in trouble and stopped to help with the two suspects is a black male. And he said the Henry County Sheriff Deputy had no other choice.

The second person was arrested and placed in the Henry County Jail.

The Henry County Sheriff Deputy is one you would want on your department. He is very courteous, mannered, and goes about doing his job of serving and protecting the people of Henry County. He is one that is quiet and consistent with his demeanor of being courteous and professional.

And his being forced to use deadly physical force has torn him apart emotionally. He cares about people and always treats people with the utmost respect.

The Alabama State Bureau of Investigation is conducting the investigation of the shooting incident. The results of those findings will be presented to a Henry County Grand Jury, which is routine in every death.

Theinvestigating officers were in contact with 20th Judicial Circuit District Attorney Pat Jones last evening. He was advised of the incident and the investigation.

Our prayers are out to all involved. 

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