The Etowah Co. Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal shooting involving a Sardis officer

The Etowah County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred Wednesday morning in unincorporated Etowah County. The incident began at Sardis Middle School, involved a police pursuit and ended with a shootout between a man and a Sardis City police officer.

The man, who has not been identified by law enforcement, died at the scene on Lawson Gap Road. The officer was not injured.

The sheriff’s office said a Sardis officer responded to a possible disturbance near the Sardis Middle School motorist drop-off point around 7:30 a.m. involving the man. The man was a parent of a child at the school.

The sheriff’s office said the officer made contact with the person. The man left the scene in a vehicle and the Sardis officer pursued him on several streets.

Sardis City Police Chief William Alexander told ABC 33/40 that the officer chased the man because he smelled alcohol. Alexander said the officer was concerned about the man driving.

“My officers received a call this morning from school staff at Sardis Middle School that a parent may have entered the drop-off line the wrong way. School staff confronted him and he became aggressive toward them and swore at them. “The school staff retreated and asked our officers to come out and spoke to the man, who also became combative with him,” Alexander said.

The chase ended at a driveway on Lawson Gap Road. Alexander said it was the man’s house. The location on Lawson Gap Road is approximately 10 minutes from the school.

According to the sheriff’s office, the man got out of the vehicle and an altercation ensued.

The sheriff’s office said there was an exchange of gunfire between the man and the officer.

The man died at the scene of the accident on Lawson Gap Road. The sheriff’s office said officers and medical personnel took immediate life-saving measures.

“It was easy [my officer] until probably two or three minutes after the shooting. Then several officers from different agencies arrived. We thank all surrounding agencies from Boaz to Etowah County who dispatched officers. “We are a small department and every little help counts,” Alexander said.

The Sardis officer suffered no injuries as a result of the incident.

The incident at Sardis Middle School occurred in the parking lot and did not cause any injuries, disturbances or danger to students or staff, according to the sheriff’s office.

Etowah County Schools Superintendent Dr. Alan Cosby, released the following statement:

At approximately 7:30 this morning, Sardis Middle School administration requested assistance from the Sardis Police Department. A parent became upset in the motorist queue and was asked for help to defuse the problem. When the officer arrived, a conversation began with the parents. The parent then left the school and was followed by the officer. Students and staff were safe inside the school building during this time and were unaware of the problem outside. At no time during the event was there any danger to students or employees. School safety is Etowah County Schools’ top priority. We are very grateful for our partnership with all local law enforcement agencies.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the sheriff’s office had no information about the man’s mental condition. Chief Alexander also had no verified information to share about the man’s mental state.

To Alexander’s knowledge, the police had had no prior contact with the man.

According to Alexander, the department is participating in de-escalation training.

“My officer involved usually does a very good job of de-escalating the situation. “Obviously this gentleman just wasn’t in the mood for a conversation,” Alexander said.

When a situation affects one of the schools in Sardis City, Alexander said there is usually a stronger response.

“With everything that’s happening across the country when it comes to schools, you should never just accept it because there’s nothing to it, because this could be the one day it happens. “We obviously have two schools within 50 meters of our police department,” Alexander said.

The Etowah County Sheriff’s Office and the Jacksonville State Center for Applied Forensic Science are conducting an independent investigation into the incident. Once the results are completed, they will be submitted to the Etowah County District Attorney’s Office for review.

Alexander believed that the department had never been involved in such an incident before.