UPDATED @ 8:22 PM Houston County Sheriff Deputies are working in connection with Dale County Sheriff Department in this case.
The original call was possible shots fired which was at Hubbard Road and Highway 84 West in the Wicksburg Community. Houston County Sheriff Deputies responded. In Dothan there were several unmarked Houston County Sheriff Deputies seen running lights and siren traveling west towards Wicksburg.
Wicksburg Fire – Rescue responded to the scene because one person was injured in the hand.
UNCONFIRMED information at this time with law enforcement, but preliminary investigation indicates this started as a person purchasing a firearm. The transaction is reported to have possibly resulted into a robbery of the person making the purchase. That then developed into shots fired at each other. Again, this information is UNCONFIRMED with law enforcement at this time.
Then a white BMW was last seen traveling west on Highway 84 and possibly turned on Highway 92. BOLOS were issued to Dale County and Geneva County.
Houston County Sheriff Criminal Investigators along with Dale County Sheriff Criminal Investigators have been working on this all afternoon. Some investigators are currently, 9:29 PM, continuing their investigation with both Houston County and Dale County.
All of the puzzle is not totally matching and that is why the investigation is ongoing. When more details are known law enforcement will release additional information.
If anyone has information call Houston County Sheriff 911 Center, non emergency number, 334-677-4808 and request a Criminal Investigator to call you. You information might be the information that is needed. You never know.
UPDATE: A BOLO was canceled on one of the suspects, indicating he was most likely located; however, one of the suspects remains at large.
ORIGINAL: A call came through about a possible shooting in Wicksburg around 1:30 PM today. A BOLO was originally issued to law enforcement for a white BMW occupied by two males. The suspects in this vehicle are considered armed and dangerous.
Then, at U.S. 84 West and Hubbard Road, a black vehicle (possibly a victim) reportedly crashed into a ditch, the driver sustaining injuries to the hands. Deputies are already on-scene, and Wicksburg Rescue is on the way.
Information is currently limited, but it seems the crashed vehicle was possibly a victim of the shooting.
Law enforcement is searching for the suspect vehicle.
DOTHAN: 12:27 PM Dothan 911 dispatched Dothan Fire Department and Dothan Police Department to an equipment fire.
The fire location was 1475 Ross Clark Circle. This area is between Prevatt Road and Oppert Road on the east side of Ross Clark Circle.
In the woods a excavator was on fire. Along the circle Dothan Fire Engine Company 5 (Eastside) was connected to a fire hydrant next to Raceway. The five inch fire hose ran along the side of the circle and was connected to Dothan Fire Engine 4 (Southside). Dothan Fire Battalion Chief, Dothan Fire Deputy Fire Chief Pete Webb, Dothan Fire Incident Support Unit were all on the scene.
Fighting the excavator fire was difficult for Dothan Fire because it was back into the woods. This made it impossible for a fire engine to gain easy access to the equipment.
Dothan Fire announced a few minutes ago, 1:20 PM, the fire was under control.
Romans 10:17 says, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” But for those who can’t hear, how do they get to experience the Bible?
The answer is at Bethel Baptist Church with their Deaf Ministry.
Jerry and Diann Pearson and Robert and Carmen Stewart are the leaders of Bethel Baptist Church’s Deaf Ministry; Jerry is the pastor, Diann is an interpreter, Robert is the Sunday school teacher, and Carmen is the care leader. Diann is joined by Jennifer Crowe, another interpreter, so anyone hearing can attend with interpretation. Jerry, Robert and Carmen are all deaf.
They work together to bring faith to the deaf community in the Wiregrass.
Although the deaf church has been spreading the good word for 11 years, the story actually began 46 years ago, when a woman named Elizabeth “Liz” Brackin Edberg was the only deaf individual at Bethel Baptist.
She initially attended without an interpreter, but she helped teach two others at the church American Sign Language (ASL) so she and her also-deaf husband could attend services with an interpreter.
Now, Deaf Ministry is held every Sunday at 8 a.m., starting with fellowship. Sunday school is at 9 a.m. Zoom is also used for people who can’t make it. Reliably at least 20 people, both deaf and hearing, are in attendance every week. There’s even one deaf-blind person in their ministry who uses tactile signs. Plus, they hold Wednesday night Bible study at 5:15 p.m. All services are held in the Family Life Center at Bethel Baptist.
“It’s an opportunity to teach and pray in the church and sing sign songs,” Diann said.
Jerry said creating this opportunity was crucial to deaf people in the Wiregrass.
“It’s just more relaxed, an ability to understand (the Bible) in your own language,” he said. “Deaf people love fellowship with other deaf or any hearing person that wants to sign, and we have a lot of hearing people, too.”
Diann said deaf people can struggle reading the Bible, as ASL is a language in and of itself, and often a first language to deaf people; so deaf ministry often focuses on going verse by verse to understand exactly what the Bible is saying.
“When I do deaf church, I’m excited,” Jerry said. “I look forward to it, because I love getting involved in sharing the word with the community. I want to teach them. When I teach I see deaf people not understand what I’m saying, I know they don’t understand me. And then I go around a different way and explain it again, and when they understand it, that makes you feel good.”
He signed a lightbulb coming on by opening his hand over his head and widening his eyes.
He said he encourages questions during the service for those who want him to stop and explain. He uses PowerPoint presentations to visually depict concepts.
“That makes him feel good when they understand,” Diann said.
When Jerry was learning about the Bible, he found that he often struggled to understand the concepts; he had to work hard to learn more.
“God just gave him a hunger to understand the Word,” Diann said. “He’s got a whole notebook full of what words mean.”
Neither Jerry nor Robert considered themselves to be book readers years ago, but they’ve now learned to be diligent readers of the Bible.
Robert, the Sunday school teacher, goes into deep dives on the topics Jerry introduces, giving more information on the culture and history of the Bible using plenty of visual representation.
“I want to give more details and information about God’s plan,” he said. “From the beginning to the end, Genesis to Revelations. Especially most things from prophecy that have not been completed yet, but will happen in the future.”
Carmen said she knew Jerry and Robert were doing good work, especially with their dedication to Scripture.
“I really admire them because they’re so persevering,” she said.
Jerry and Robert have known each other since their grade school days, but they said they didn’t like each other back then (they described the animosity as thinking each was better than the other) — but today they’re great friends.
Now they’ve turned into the dynamic duo of sharing the Word of God with deaf and hard-of-hearing people in south Alabama, west Georgia and north Florida, working well together and working hard.
But they said the entire congregation of the deaf ministry works together each Sunday to put together the stage and chairs and set up the TV screens provided for them by Bethel Baptist.
“We’re thankful to Bethel Baptist Church for supporting deaf ministry through all these years, but also supporting Deaf Church and giving us an area to have it and support the things we need,” Diann said.
Dale Cunty Sheriffs are investigating viral videos showing graphic animal abuse, according to a release.
Reports say videos on Facebook began appearing of an individual shooting dogs and beating cats to death.
Some of the videos are at least two years old, and some apparently came from outside jurisdictions, but charges are expected to be filed Tuesday.
A young man has been identified as a suspect, but he may have been a juvenile at the time of the arrests, Alabama law requiring that he be charged as a juvenile if that is the case.
Original release:
On Saturday, we were made aware of a video circulating on social media depicting a male subject violently attacking and torturing animals. Our deputies immediately launched an investigation into the video and its sources.
To date, through our investigation, we have interviewed the suspect and others involved. We have determined that some of these videos are approximately two years old. Additionally, we have confirmed that at least one video depicts an incident that occurred outside of Dale County. We are actively working with other agencies to determine the exact location so that the appropriate charges can be filed.
Due to the suspect’s age at the time of the incidents in Dale County, Alabama law requires that the individual be charged as a juvenile. We anticipate filing those charges on Tuesday. In accordance with Alabama law and the practices of the Dale County Sheriff’s Office, any investigation or arrest involving juveniles is strictly confidential. Therefore, no further information will be released regarding this matter.
We understand the public’s concern and assure the community that we are taking this investigation seriously and are seeking prosecution to the fullest extent that the law will allow. We appreciate your patience as we follow the legal process.
