HEADLAND: This past Friday Henry County Central 911 dispatched a firearm assault at Greentree Apartment in Headland. The call to 911, which was dispatched to responding officers, several shots fired and possibly two persons shot.
Within sixty ( 60 ) seconds of the call being dispatched the first officer aerrived on the scene. That officer was Caleb Sullenberger. On his arrival he found two subjects with gunshot wounds. One person was deceased and the second with wounds.
When a law enforcement officer enters a scene as this, the officer has to pay close attention to his/her safety in that is there an active shooter, where everyone is at, and what dangers are encountered, and is it safe for EMS to enter the scene. Headland Officer Sullenberger made the quick assessment as other officers were arriving and gave immediate aid to the victims. Headland Fire – EMS arrived within seconds of Officer Sullenberger as did other Headland Police Officers.
The suspect, who had fled into another apartment, shortly gave himself up to Officer Sullenberger. However there were immediate questions did the suspect act alone or with another. All of the above took place within seconds of arriving on the scene.
Multiple Headland Police Officers, Chief Mark Jones, multiple Henry County Sheriff Deputies, Sheriff Eric Blankenship, Henry County Sheriff SRT Unit, ALEA Trooper Adkinson and Sgt. McAllister, Dothan Police Crime Scene Unit, Henry County Coroner Derek Wright all responded to the scene.
Headland is a quiet town and the crime rate is low. There are not many firearm assaults they respond to or major crime scenes such as this with two people shot, one of which is deceased. Obtaining information quickly is important and making sure all if safe is a top priority as well as attempting to save lives.
The manner in which all involved handled the situation is noted as a professional operation. All agencies worked as one and all officers worked as one.
RSN observed Headland Police Officer Caleb Sullenberger. He was calm, professional, getting details of what was going on to document in his report. Who all was present on the scene and the roles each were playing. DETAILS – DETAILS – DETAILS … always important in cases.
While all did an outstanding job, and RSN is not trying to place one above anyone else on the scene, but as a young officer of which perhaps this was his first double shooting and one dead, did a fantastic job, professional and calm.
While the situation was sad because someone lost their life, one had a gunshot, and someone’s son is charged with a death penalty offense, it was great to see all agencies working together as one.
We also must mention, because there was an immediate qurestion as to the number of victims, Abbeville Rescue responded and was ready if needed. And the Henry County Central 911 Center did a great job with all of the 911 calls and radio traffic.
The residents of Headland, the citizens of Henry County, can be proud of all of the agencies.
NOTE: Picture above is a file picture: Trooper Sanders was off duty and not on the scene. The above picture is Headland Police Chief/Director of Public Safety Mark Jones, far left is former Headland Police Officer Aaron Sanders who is now an ALEA – Trooper and in the middle is Headland Police Officer Caleb Sullenberger.
