Baldwin County Sheriff's office addresses officer-involved shooting

BAY MINETTE, Ala. (WALA) - The Baldwin County Sheriff's office released new details Monday, Dec. 17, about an officer involved shooting early Sunday.

Sheriff Huey "Hoss" Mack said there were seven law enforcement officers on the scene when Stephen Bryan was shot Sunday, Dec 16. Officials said only two fired their weapons.

They have been identified as Baldwin County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Walker and Bay Minette Police Lieutenant Michael Jasen Lamey. Deputy Walker is with the patrol division. He's been with the Sheriff's Office since November 2008.

Mack said Bryan was hit in the hip and the leg. According to the Sheriff Bryan was listed in Stable condition in North Baldwin Infirmary Monday.

Mack said dash cam video from two patrol cars shows exactly what happened, and the sheriff said the officers believed Bryan was attempting to get a shotgun from his truck when they fired.

"I will tell you that the entire incident is caught on video tape by the officers in car camera. At this time that is evidence, and we're not going to discuss what is on that tape. But the officers firmly believed he was going to the vehicle to retrieve a weapon. Like i said, the tape will also be reviewed. It was actually documented on two different cameras. Both on the Baldwin County Sheriff's Officer's dash cam and the Bay Minette police officers dash cam."

The sheriff said deputies were originally called to Bryan's home on Old Brady Road Saturday by family members who said Bryan had carried a shotgun into the tool shed out back and barricaded himself inside.

But Bryan left before deputies arrived. His vehicle was spotted by deputies and Bay Minette police around 12;30 Sunday morning on Highway 59. Bryan was shot after he failed to comply with officers demands, and allegedly reached for the shotgun inside his truck.

Neighbors on the road where Bryan lives said he was well respected.

News of the shooting has left many surprised and saddened.

"It's terrible news to hear right around the holidays."

One woman who didn't want to be identified said she didn't realize anything had happened to her neighbor until hours later.

"I had left the house and saw the police officers out there, so I called my husband and asked what was going on," the neighbor said.

And, neighbors still don't have any answers about what happened, But they are praying for Bryan's recovery.

"All I've heard is that he was doing a little better. I don't really know what kind of injuries he sustained. I just know he's doing a little better than he was yesterday," she said.

The two officers, Deputy Walker, and Bay Minette Lt. Lamey are on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

One question the investigation will consider will focus on tasers, and whether or not that might have been an appropriate response for the officers. Sheriff Mack said the officers knew Bryan was armed with a shotgun, and they had information that he had been suicidal for days, and maybe even weeks. The Sheriff also said Bryan had an arrest history in Baldwin County that includes two arrests for assault, and one for harassing communications.

Sheriff Mack said the shooting will ultimately be turned over to a grand jury for review.