COFFEE COUNTY: 2:11 PM Coffee County 911 dispatched Elba Fire, Enterprise Rescue, Elba Police and Coffee County Sheriff Deputies to a gunshot.
The location was 131 Tiger Drive in Elba. This is the Elba Board of Education. The reports to Coffee County 911 intially were a person appeared to be asleep in a vehicle. When units arrived it was quickly determined there was a gunshot wound and the person was deceased.
Coffee County Sheriff Scott Byrd, Coffee County Sheriff Criminal Investigators, Elba Police, Coffee County Coroner Arnold Woodham, Coffee County – Pike County District Attorney James Tarbox responded to the scene and the investigation started. Some questionable materials were found on the scene.
Elba Fire Department was on the scene. The materials found caused the Elba Fire Department to mutual aid request Dothan Police Bomb Squad and Dothan Fire Department Haz Mat Team to respond to the scene.
About 4:44 PM the bomb team began their approach into the scene to check the materials found. What the exact materials found to cause alarm are not known at this time but scene investigators used caution.
The investigation into the gunshot death was found to be self inflicted and an apparent suicide. The name has not been released and RSN does not normally cover suicide deaths. However the location and the need for bomb team and haz mat response is why this is covered.
The investigation continues into all of the facts and circumstances and what caused the apparent self inflicted gunshot wound.
But to the citizens, students and faculty of the school system there is not reason for any alarm.
