Alabama man in custody after allegedly killing police officer, injuring two others

Justin Chan
Updated ·2 min read

A man suspected of killing a police officer during a shootout in Auburn, Ala., is now in custody, CNN reports.

Police had been aggressively searching for Grady Wayne Wilkes, 29, on Monday after he shot and killed one officer and injured two others at a mobile home park approximately five miles west of Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine. The shooting occurred Sunday night after police responded to a domestic disturbance call.

"This is probably the worst day of my time here," Paul Register, Auburn's chief of police, said at a news conference. "Words cannot express the loss of this family, our family and this community."

Law enforcement arrived at Arrowhead Park — a mobile home community that calls itself "one of the nicest, safest and well-managed student environments in Auburn" — around 10 p.m. on Sunday, according to USA Today. Register said Wilkes immediately began shooting at responding officers.

Wilkes then fled and was last seen on foot near Auburn University wearing shorts and possibly body armor, Register said. By then, police had already issued a "Blue Alert," which is activated when an officer is shot. That, in turn, triggered a massive manhunt involving multiple police agencies and aircrafts, the police chief explained.

"It was a simple domestic disturbance," Register said. "You always hear that they are one of the most dangerous kinds of calls officers go to, and it played out to that effect tonight."

Auburn University immediately issued a social media alert to students following the shooting, asking them to stay away from Arrowhead Park. Law enforcement had warned that Wilkes was "considered armed and dangerous."

"Massive police presence near Arrowhead Mobile Home Park off of Wire Rd, approx 5 miles west of Vet School," the alert read. "Avoid area until further notice."

According to a Facebook page believed to be Wilkes', the 6-foot-4 suspect was once a member of the U.S. Army, AL.com notes. There were no immediate details surrounding his arrest.

The two other officers that Wilkes purportedly injured are expected to survive.