HUNTSVILLE — A Huntsville police officer died in the line of duty Tuesday night. One fellow officer remains in critical condition. Both were responding to a shots fired call in Huntsville.
The slain officer is Garrett Crumby, a three-year veteran of the Huntsville Police Department, with eight previous years serving the Tuscaloosa Police Department. The wounded officer has been identified as Officer Albert Morin.
“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.”
A third victim was a woman, who called authorities. Police found her when they arrived at the scene and she was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, HPD Deputy Chief Michael Johnson said.
Johnson confirmed a male suspect barricaded himself in an apartment in the Governors House apartment complex.
“We received a call on Governors House Drive around 4:45 p.m. in reference to a shots fired call,” Johnson said. “During the course of the initial part of the call, the officers were also shot by an offender that later became barricaded, in which you saw the overwhelming police response thereafter.”
“We had a barricaded subject for a little over an hour, and about 6:20 p.m. we were able to take that subject into custody.”
Arrested was Juan Robert Laws, 24. He is charged with capital murder of a law enforcement officer and is being held at the Madison County Jail without bond.
Officers from the Huntsville Police Department came together for an astounding show of force. Many gathered in prayer for their fellow officers outside of Huntsville Hospital as they underwent emergency surgery and the highest possible level of care.
“This is a painful night for the City of Huntsville and for our police family,” Huntsville 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.”
“Tonight, our State grieves the death of another member of the law enforcement community — one who, when called upon, ran toward danger in aide of a female victim,” said Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall. “Huntsville Police Officer Garrett Crumby and fellow Officer Albert Morin were responding to an emergency domestic violence call for service when they were ambushed by an armed suspect.”
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