
Delores Embry, mother of Barry Bush, said Friday that she has been told nothing about what happened to her son Thursday night or why.
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The mobile home where the incident occurred is in the Shadydale Mobile Home Park.
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PELL CITY — The Alabama Bureau of Investigation is investigating an officer-involved shooting Thursday evening during which a 41-year-old man died.
Pell City Police Department Capt. Ed Brasher said officers from the Pell City Police Department and the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department attempted to serve a search warrant in the Shadydale Mobile Home Park area at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
According to a Police Department press release, during the service of the warrant, a shot was fired and both an officer and a suspect were transported to St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital. The suspect was pronounced dead at the emergency room.
Brasher said the officer, whose name is not being released, was treated and released late Thursday night. The officer is currently on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the ABI investigation, which is standard procedure.
St. Clair County Coroner Dennis Russell identified the deceased as Barry Bush, 41, of Shadydale.
Russell said the cause of death was a single gunshot wound, and Bush was pronounced dead at 8 p.m. Thursday at St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital Emergency Room.
“Bush’s body was transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science in Huntsville Friday for autopsy,” he said.
St. Clair County District Attorney Richard Minor said the matter is under investigation by the ABI.
“As soon as their investigation and report is completed and submitted to our office, it will be reviewed and submitted to the next available grand jury, as are all officer-involved shootings and deaths,” he said.
Rubia Smith, Bush’s aunt, said officers would not allow her to see her nephew.
“They made me move my car and said someone would be in touch,” she said.
Chantil Bush, Barry Bush’s cousin, said she went to St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital, but the doors were locked at the back of the hospital Emergency Room entrance.
“The double doors to the ER from inside the hospital were locked, too,” she said. “I still haven’t seen him (Barry Bush).”
Chantil Bush said the family had to go to the Sheriff’s Department around midnight, when they found out Barry Bush was dead.
Dion Embry, Barry Bush’s brother, said he wanted to see justice.
“I want to see the cop that done it get punished,” he said.
Anniko Gover, Barry Bush’s cousin, said his cousin was sick, and had been in the hospital for a staph infection in his back as well as several back surgeries. She said Bush had recently moved into the Shadydale Mobile Home Park.
“We want to know why,” she said.
Delores Embry, Bush’s mother, said Thursday morning she believed officers came to the wrong place.
“My son didn’t do drugs or sell drugs,” she said. “He didn’t even drink alcohol.”
Embry said she wanted to see justice done.
“I want closure,” she said.
Embry said she was not allowed to see her son after the incident Thursday.
“They (police) ain’t told me nothing,” she said.
Embry said she saw a search warrant that was not signed and did not mention drugs or narcotics.
Brasher said there were two search warrants.
“One was a narcotics search warrant, and the other was an ABI search warrant so forensics could retrieve any evidence (from the scene),” he said.
Brasher said he could not comment on whether any narcotics were found at the scene, pending the conclusion of the ABI investigation.
Mayor Bill Hereford held a press conference Friday to address the issue.
“Incidents of this nature which are so pervasive in other places have been rare in our community,” he said. “Therefore, we are all saddened over what happened last night (Thursday).”
Hereford said the matter has been placed in the hands of the ABI for a thorough independent investigation.
“As a community, we need to be patient and give the ABI time to complete its work,” he said. “We must be careful not to draw conclusions before the facts are in. Now is a time for prayerful reflection while we await the results of the investigation.”
I hope his cowardly and timid actions haunt him
everytime he closes his evil eyes at night. May
God's justice and revenge follow him until he opens his eyes in hell.
shot by country town cops. May God bless this family and repay justice to those who are guilty of wrongdoing in this case. Barry was a kind gentle gentleman who never caused anyone trouble
(most who went to school with him know this to be true). True respectful law enforcement confronts dangerous criminials and brings them to justice. This proves nothing except cowardice and inexperience that took an innocent life.