Florence officer involved in deadly shooting cleared by grand jury
FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) — A Lauderdale County Grand Jury cleared a Florence police officer involved in a deadly shooting on April 1.
According to a press release from Lauderdale County District Attorney Chris Connolly, the case was presented to a grand jury this week and it returned a ‘no bill,’ meaning no charges will be filed against the officer involved in the shooting.
The person killed by police in the shooting was identified as 42-year-old Bart James Barcelou.
Florence Police Chief Ron Tyler said at the time that officers responded to the 200 block of North Walnut Street to attempt to serve warrants to Barcelou, who had active warrants from Kane County, Utah for 3 counts of first-degree felony rape and one count of third-degree felony dealing in harmful materials to a minor by an adult.
Lauderdale County Sheriff Joe Hamilton said the person had two knives in his hands during the incident. He added that officers attempted to use a “less lethal taser option” during the incident.
“Ultimately and unfortunately, the encounter resulted in a very violent end that involved shots fired from one of our police officers,” Tyler stated during the news conference that afternoon.
Barcelou died as a result of the shooting.
After the shooting, Tyler asked the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office to investigate since one of the department’s officers were involved, and they presented their findings before the grand jury.
Connolly said he also met with the widow of Barcelou to explain the grand jury process and allow her to review body cam footage before the grand jury met.
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