Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Public safety

Huntsville police officer dies, second officer in critical condition after shooting

The officers were responding to a “shots fired” call when they were “ambushed,” according to law enforcement officials.

Huntsville Police Officer Garrett Crumby was killed in the line of duty.
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A Huntsville Police officer shot in the line of duty died Tuesday night, while a second officer remains hospitalized in critical condition after undergoing surgery. 

The officers were shot after responding to a “shots fired” call at a Huntsville apartment complex. Attorney General Steve Marshall, in a press release, identified the officer killed as Garrett Crumby, and his critically injured partner as Albert Morin. 

In the release, Marshall called the shooting an “ambush” by an assailant who had already shot a female victim. 

“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.” 

The shooting occurred at the Governors House Apartment complex in Huntsville, after Crumby and Morin responded to a report of shots fired around 4:45 Tuesday afternoon. Once on the scene, HPD said the officers located a female victim seriously injured from a gunshot wound. 

At some point thereafter, the officers were allegedly shot by Juan Robert Laws, 24, who then fled the scene. He was apprehended a little after 6 p.m. and transported to Huntsville Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Laws was booked on a charge of capital murder of a law enforcement officer. 

The female victim, who has not been identified, also was treated at Huntsville Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. 

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“This is a painful night for the City of Huntsville and for our police family,” Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said in a statement. “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.”

Crumby had been with HPD since 2020, after spending eight years with the Tuscaloosa Police Department. He is the first Alabama officer killed in the line of duty this year.

Josh Moon is an investigative reporter and featured columnist at the Alabama Political Reporter with years of political reporting experience in Alabama. You can email him at jmoon@alreporter.com or follow him on Twitter.

More from APR

Municipal elections

Michelle Watkins becomes Huntsville's first Black city councilwoman.

Local news

Devyn Keith told voters recently that 2023 theft charges against him were not accurate. The Madison DA's office pushed back on that claim.

News

Residents of Alabama’s 10 largest cities were given the chance to submit photos of their cities.

Municipal elections

John Meredith survived a serious challenge while incumbent Devyn Keith managed to barely force a runoff.