Police Department Capt. Ed Brasher identified the officer as Sgt. Vince Warrington of Talladega County.
Brasher said Warrington, who has worked for the Pell City Police Department for 11 years, is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation, which is standard procedure.
Authorities 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 Warrington was treated and released late Thursday night.
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.
Chantil Bush, Barry Bush’s cousin, said there was a candlelight vigil in Barry Bush’s honor Saturday night.
“A lot of people came,” she said.
Chantil Bush said the police have not told the family what happened.
Delores Embry, Barry Bush’s mother, said she was not allowed to see her son Thursday, either in the ambulance or at the hospital.
“We found out he was shot in the mouth,” she said. “All I want is answers.”
Embry said she has retained Pell City attorney Charlie Robinson to represent her in this matter.
“We have not heard one word from any authoritative figure — the Police Department or the city,” Robinson said Monday. “The family is looking for answers.”
Robinson said the initial reason authorities entered Barry Bush’s home was to execute a search warrant, however, he said he is not sure if authorities found narcotics at Barry Bush’s mobile home.
“The search warrant gives authorities the right to enter, but not the authority to shoot you,” he said. “The only time an officer should ever pull the trigger is in the event his life is in imminent danger. That is what the law says. At this point, based upon our initial investigation, that is not the case.”
Robinson said the shooter (Warrington) was not injured as a result of a physical altercation.
A member of the Bush family said the NAACP had been contacted, but was not sure of any action that might be taken regarding the issue.
Robinson said at this point he does not consider this to be a racial issue.
“This is entirely in the investigative stage,” Robinson said. “We will not file a lawsuit simply based on speculation. We’re simply investigating this matter.”
Dorris Teague, a spokeswoman for the Alabama Department of Public Safety, said the ABI investigation is ongoing.
“There is nothing further to release at this time,” she said Monday.
