Video After The Jump
Lowndes County Sheriff John Williams was shot and killed Saturday night while in the line of duty. After about a three-hour manhunt, the 18-year-old suspect in the deadly shooting returned to the crime scene and surrendered. A gun was taken from him at the time he turned himself in.
The shooting happened shortly after 8 p.m. at a QV convenience store at the intersection of Highway 21 and Highway 97 in Hayneville in Lowndes County. Authorities and Williams’ relatives said the sheriff responded to the store when the owner called lawmen because there was a crowd hanging out in the parking lot and he wanted them dispersed.
ALEA Trooper Sgt. Steve Jarrett and ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor spoke with the media late Saturday night, calling Williams’ death a blow to the law enforcement community. “It’s a very sad time for Lowndes County and the state of Alabama,'' said Jarrett, who said he had known Williams for most of their law enforcement careers.”
“He was a wonderful man,'' Jarrett said. “Everybody in law enforcement knew him. If you ever met him, you’d never forget him. He worked 24/7 and was an outstanding sheriff.”
Williams is the fifth Alabama law enforcement officer killed this year in the line of duty. He leaves behind a wife and children, who were on the scene. “We’re taking good care of them,” Jarrett said.
State Bureau of Investigation agents are on the scene, said ALEA Cpl. Jess Thornton. Also on the scene is Montgomery Sheriff Derrick Cunningham, a close friend of Williams. The Alabama Sheriff’s Association put out a call for all possible assistance and sheriffs from around the state are heading to Lowndes County.
Calhoun County Sheriff Matt Wad was among those who responded to the call for help. "He was as fine a man you’ll ever find. He always had a kind word for everyone,'' Wade said. “It’s just heartbreaking.”
"He was a great friend,'' said Michael Jackson, the district attorney for Alabama’s Fourth Judicial Circuit, recalling a time when Williams drove to Birmingham to pick up Jackson when he was stranded at the airport. “Man, this hurts.”
"He was a great sheriff but an even better person,'' Jackson said. “He really cared about the Black Belt. He came over to Selma many times to help fight the gang problem.”
Shortly after 10 p.m., the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency issued a Blue Alert for the 18-year-old suspect, William Chase Johnson. Johnson is a white male. He is 5-feet, 9-inches tall and weighs 137 pounds. Johnson was believed to be traveling on foot and deemed a serious risk to the public. Johnson was last seen at the QV gas station where Williams was killed.
The suspect was reportedly in a stolen vehicle. The stolen vehicle is believed to have been abandoned and recovered and the suspect is believed to be on foot. "He will be caught,'' Jarrett said.
Just after midnight, authorities said, Johnson returned to the crime scene and surrendered. ALEA cancelled the Blue Alert at 12:24 a.m. Sunday.
Johnson is from Montgomery and the son of a law enforcement officer. He was arrested in August on a charge of being in possession of brass knuckles and being a minor in possession of alcohol, but those charges were later dismissed, according to court records.
Source: AL.com
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