Friday afternoon, two officers from the Homewood Police Department reportedly found themselves in another life-or-death situation, marking the second such incident this year. This time, officers were forced to defend themselves while attempting to arrest an individual with multiple outstanding arrest warrants who was stopped for riding a bicycle in and out of traffic.
The incident that happened at Green Springs Highway and Valley Avenue is now under investigation by the Alabama Attorney General's Office.
SEE: Homewood PD deadly officer-involved shooting under investigation
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In a written statement, the department said that after a man was observed riding through four lanes of traffic, "Two officers made contact with the subject in the middle of the road on Greensprings Highway and asked for his identification."
The subject initially told officers, "He did not want to identify himself because he had multiple outstanding warrants for his arrest. The subject also stated that he had been to prison for robbery."
After a conversation, he finally identified himself, allowing the officers to confirm that "he had four outstanding misdemeanor arrest warrants and was a convicted violent felon, with a conviction for Robbery –1st Degree."
The two officers then attempted to detain the man, asking him if he had any weapons.
"The subject became non-compliant and uncooperative, moving himself away from officers and into lanes of oncoming traffic," the police said. "Officers gave the subject multiple commands to get out of oncoming traffic lanes."
"The subject continued to refuse to listen to officers and began reaching under his shirt. Officers gave the subject multiple verbal commands to stop reaching, but the subject refused commands and pulled a semi-automatic pistol from his right side. The subject chambered a round into the pistol by pulling the slide to the rear and pointed the weapon at officers, at which point they fired their duty weapons, striking the subject."
Officers then recovered the pistol and three loaded magazines from the suspect.
The release stated that after the subject was secured, the officers immediately began to render first aid. Homewood Fire Department medics responded and provided treatment until the subject was transported to UAB Emergency Room, where he was pronounced dead.
"The Alabama Attorney General's Office responded to the scene and is conducting the investigation," the department stated. "The details surrounding this incident are clearly captured on the officers' body worn cameras, of which Attorney General's Office investigators have taken possession."
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