11/24/2012

Ala. deputy killed, another critical in home shootout

Baldwin County Sheriff via AP

Baldwin County Sheriff Deputy Scott Ward, left, was killed in a confrontation Saturday with Michael Jansen, right.

By Reuters

A man shot and killed one Alabama sheriff's deputy and critically wounded another when they went to his home near Fairhope, Ala., on a report that he was acting aggressively toward family members, authorities said on Saturday.

The shooter, Michael Jansen, also was killed in the exchange of gunfire on Friday afternoon, the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

Baldwin County Sheriff Huey Mack told reporters that the deputies responded to a report that Jansen had "been confrontational with some family members" and were speaking with him at his home near Fairhope, about 15 miles southeast of Mobile.

"While the deputies were on scene and talking to the individual, the individual produced a handgun and began firing at the deputies," Mack told reporters.


A third deputy at the scene was not wounded.

The two deputies suffered multiple gunshot wounds and were taken to USA Medical Center in Mobile, where Deputy Scott Ward was pronounced dead and the second deputy, who has not been identified, was listed in critical condition, the sheriff's office said.

Ward served as a sheriff's deputy for 15 years.

"I'm very proud of him, it's a big loss," Mack told reporters. "But he was doing his job and we'll pull together in a time like this and we'll honor his memory by carrying on."

The shooting is being investigated by the Baldwin County Major Crimes Task Force, he said.

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