Delores Embry, mother of Barry Bush, said she has been told nothing about what happened to her son Thursday night or why. Bob Crisp
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.”
Many of the people I have witnessed giving their opinion on the news broacast on occurances there I have also seen entering the jail in handcuffs for everything from thefts, drugs to domestic violence( and no..I am in no way now or have never been associated with ANY law enforcement agency in this county).So I will disreguard there coments altogether.
As there are many really good people in Glenn City, however there are also thoes that think the world (or federal government) owes them everything.The ones that steal for a living...thoes that think it's ok to go to the park and fire of handguns and thoes who make it selling drugs across the street from the barbershop..Me I'm going to wait to see what the State investigation comes up with..As to how the Police Dept. handled the situation with the family is the police departments problem..right or wrong..I'll draw my conclusions AFTER all the facts are in..I really hate this happened at all..I've known Barry Bush for over 15 years..but...I wasn't in that trailer..I would like to know who else besides Barry and the Police was there...Me I'll eventually talk to Councilman McGowan because I know he has always been a truthfull man..My condolences to the Bush Family.
Personally I would like to know who else was inside that trailer besides Mr. Bush and the police.
ATTEMPTED: To try to do or perform
MURDER: The intentional and unlawful killing of a human being.
This was a murder committed by the BOYS IN BLUE(PCPD). There has been to too many actions that do not make sense. First was "attempted to serve a search warrant in the Shadydale Mobile Home Park area." Second was "a shot was fired and both an officer and a suspect were transported to St. Clair Hospital." Third was the covering of the murder.