Escambia Co., Ala. sheriff shot during standoff

FLOMATON, Ala. (WALA) - One person is dead and a local sheriff is wounded following a standoff Friday morning.

Authorities said Escambia County, Alabama Sheriff Grover Smith was shot and wounded in the arm during a standoff at a home in Flomaton.

Deputies said the man who shot him is dead. Authorities said the shooting happened about 11:00 am.

Mike Lambert with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office said, "Escambia County Alabama Sheriff’s Office was on the scene on Arrington Lane in Flomaton, Alabama, serving a mental commitment pickup order."

Lambert said Escambia County Sheriff Grover Smith was one of the people answering the call, and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation said he was shot by the suspect, who authorities identify as 62-year-old James Arrington, Junior.

He said, "Sheriff Smith did sustain a gunshot wound to his right arm.  He's in stable condition, being transported to Mobile for further surgery for that."

Deputies said Arrington then shot and killed himself.

Ron Moye said he knows Arrington.

Moye said, "I didn't have nothing against him. (He’s a) good person. He helped people out in the community."

Moye said it's unusual for incidents like this to happen in Flomaton.

He said, "People getting shot, or finding someone dead in a home, here in Flomaton, or even in Century, (Florida), you very seldom hear of anything taking place in this community."

And Lambert said, "The sheriff is a strong man. He's the sheriff, the leader of our department, and wanted to be on the scene."

The findings of the Alabama Bureau of Investigation will be turned over to the Escambia County District Attorney.