OAN Roy Francis
UPDATED 7:42 AM – Wednesday, March 29, 2023
A Huntsville Police Department (HPD) officer was killed, and another was critically injured as they responded to a “shots fired” call on Tuesday afternoon in Huntsville, Alabama.
The call came from the Governors House Apartment on Governors House Drive around 4:45 p.m. When officers arrived at the location, they found a female victim. The two responding officers were then shot by the offender at the scene.
The officers were transported to Huntsville Hospital with life-threatening injuries. The woman was also transported to the hospital.
A spokesperson confirmed the suspect who had shot the two officers, and the woman as 25-year-old Juan Laws. The suspect had barricaded himself in the apartment complex. He was later taken into custody by law enforcement around 6:20 p.m., and then transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Laws had been previously arrested in January 2022, and charged with assault when he had injured two people. He was then also arrested in March 2022, for carrying a pistol without a permit, but was granted bond and he later pled guilty to the charge.
Officials confirmed that one officer had later succumbed to his injures at the hospital. The second officer had undergone emergency surgery and remains in critical condition.
State Attorney General Steve Marshall identified the officer who had died as Officer Garrett Crumby, and the officer in critical condition as Officer Albert Morin.
“Our part of the country has been reminded again this week of the pure heroism of those who make up the thin blue line—the dividing line, at times, between life and death for the citizens that they swear an oath to protect,” the Attorney General’s statement read. “These two law enforcement officers responded to a domestic violence call this evening, knowing full well that they would be placing their lives on the line in defense of their fellow man. We must never take their service and sacrifice for granted.”
“This is a painful night for the City of Huntsville and for our police family,” Mayor Tommy Battle said. “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.”
Officer Crumby had previously served eight years with the Tuscaloosa Police Department before he joined the HPD three years ago.
“This is a devastating loss for our department, the Huntsville community and the State of Alabama,” HPD Chief Kirk Giles said. “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.”
Governor Kay Ivey took to Twitter to mourn the officer and ask for prayers for the officers and their families.
Huntsville police officers and law enforcement were seen gathered outside of Huntsville Hospital praying and offering their support as the two officers inside were being treated.
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