Huntsville Alabama Officer Down

[Stalker263]

Please pray for this Officer and his family!

Huntsville Times
Officer shot, is 'very serious'
Saturday, December 15, 2007
By NIKI DOYLE
Times Staff Writer niki.doyle@htimes.com

Father of 3 injuredat traffic accident in city's southeast

A Huntsville police officer was shot in the head Friday evening while responding to a traffic accident at Bailey Cove Road and Weatherly Road.

William Eric Freeman, 36, was in serious condition at Huntsville Hospital midnight Friday.


"He's in very, very, very serious condition," Director of Public Safety Rex Reynolds said. "We just ask you at this time to pray for Eric and for his family."

Freeman, a father of three, was responding to a traffic accident at about 9 p.m. near Southern Family Market on Weatherly Road when he was shot.

Bill Neville, a Times employee, said he was traveling south on Bailey Cove and saw two men wrestling beside two police cars and a pickup truck. One of the men was wearing "a big, plaid coat."

He said he drove on past and didn't realize until later that an officer had been shot. He said he did not hear a gunshot.

Several officers blocked traffic on Memorial Parkway to escort Freeman's ambulance - and a convoy of at least 10 patrol cars - to the hospital.

Mayor Loretta Spencer, Police Chief Henry Reyes, Reynolds and police officers gathered in the waiting room of the emergency room until late Friday night.

Investigators and sheriff's deputies arrived at the emergency room with tears in their eyes shortly after HEMSI arrived.

Madison Street, which runs in front of Huntsville Hospital, was blocked off for at least three hours to accommodate officers' cars parked on the streets.

"It's a very confusing scenario right now," police spokesman Wendell Johnson said.

Police had someone in custody shortly after the shooting, but Johnson said he didn't have any details about the person or whether there were any other suspects.

The police department will release details about the suspect, the officer's condition and possible charges early today. Witnesses at the scene said the suspect was a middle-aged white male who was apprehended by officers at the Texaco station at Bailey Cove and Weatherly.

The department is still reeling from the shooting of officer Daniel Golden, who was killed in the line of duty on Aug. 29, 2005, in front of a Mexican restaurant on Jordan Lane.

Eight Huntsville police officers have died in the line of duty since the department was founded.


WAFF TV
Huntsville police officer shot Friday evening

Posted: Dec 14, 2007 10:44 PM

Updated: Dec 15, 2007 12:34 AM

Just after 9:00 p.m. this evening, a Huntsville police officer was shot near the intersection of Bailey Cove Road and Weatherly Road.

The officer, William Eric Freeman, 36, is said to be in grave condition with a possible gunshot wound to the head. Officer Freeman is married and a father of three.

According to unconfirmed reports, the shooting happened during a traffic stop.

Public Safety Director Rex Reynolds held brief media conference was held just before 11 p.m. and released Freeman's name and asked for prayers for Freeman and his family.

One person is in custody and is being questioned in the case.

A media conference is set for some time Saturday. Stay with WAFF.com and WAFF 48 News for more information on this story.


WHNT TV
December 14, 2007

NewsChannel 19 Team Coverage:

Huntsville Police are expected to hold a news conference Saturday to release further details about an officer who was shot Friday night, in southeast Huntsville. It happened just after 9:00pm at the corner of Bailey Cove Road and Weatherly Road.

The latest information police released Friday night about Officer William Eric Freeman, 36, was that he was in very serious condition at Huntsville Hospital. Rex Reynolds, Huntsville's Director of Public Safety, urged people to pray for Freeman's family. Freeman is a father of five and a three-year veteran of the Huntsville Police Department.

Freeman was shot in the head during a traffic stop. Police have someone in custody in connection with this case.
Paramedics rushed the officer to Huntsville Hospital. The ambulance arrived there around 9:15pm.

Chaplains are counseling Huntsville police officers, to help calm their emotions.

Watch video clips to the upper left, of NewsChannel 19's Team Coverage Friday night. If you have photos or video from the scene, please send it to news@whnt.com.

WAAY TV
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAAY) -- A Huntsville police officer was in very grave condition after being shot near a southeast Huntsville grocery store late Friday evening.

Officer William Eric Freeman, 36, was shot between the eyes at short range during a traffic stop near the Southern Family Market on Bailey Cove Road around 9 p.m. A suspect in the shooting was taken into custody a short time later, said Huntsville Department of Public Safety Chief Rex Reynolds.

Reynolds said Freeman was being treated at Huntsville Hospital and "needs the prayers of the whole community." Freeman is a rookie officer and the father of three young children, Reynolds said.

Scores of Huntsville law enforcement officers, Mayor Loretta Spencer, City Council members and other civic leaders were gathering in vigil at the hospital late Friday evening.

Police blocked off Bailey Cove Road all the way to Grissom High School, as well as Madison Street next to Huntsville Hospital. It was unknown late Friday when the roads would reopen.

Huntsville police officials asked that the public stay away from Huntsville Hospital unless they have business there, as well as the crime scene at the corner of Weatherly Road and Bailey Cove Road.

Reynolds said they would not make any more statements until Saturday. Their press conference will be televised live on WAAY-31 News and on WAAYTV.com.

Stay tuned to WAAY-31 News and WAAYTV.com for more information as it becomes available.

[Jenna]

Best wishes for Officer Freeman's recovery.

[dkpd1384]

Thoughts and prayers for the officer and his family. Glad to see the perp is in custody (although justice may not happen as we all know). Hoping for a quick recovery.

[ghost98]

Prayers are being sent ....

[AlDeputy]

Hope he recovers fully and quickly. Brings home the fact that there is no "Routine" traffic stop.

[CTR man]

Officer William Eric Freeman, 36, was shot between the eyes at short range during a traffic stop near the Southern Family Market on Bailey Cove Road around 9 p.m. A suspect in the shooting was taken into custody a short time later, said Huntsville Department of Public Safety Chief Rex Reynolds.

Damn. This is definitely a not a good situation here. Prayers to the officer and his families. I hope the suspect goes away for a very long time.

[Five-0]

Prayers to him and his from Central AL

[kjlaw]

Thoughts and Prayers enroute

[iso607]

Prayers enroute to the officer and his family.