BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - A Birmingham police officer was shot to death late Saturday after a dispute outside an Ensley convenience store.

The officer's death launched a massive manhunt in west Birmingham including tracking dogs and a helicopter. A suspect was taken into custody about 2 a.m. after police received a tip on his whereabouts.

Birmingham police Chief A.C. Roper, along with Mayor William Bell, said the officer worked in the West Precinct and has served on the force for five-and-a-half years. A high-ranking officer and a chaplain were dispatched to notify the officer's family.

"We did everything we could to save him, but unfortunately he lost his life," Roper said. "We just ask for thoughts and prayers for the officer's family."

The ordeal unfolded just after 10 p.m. at the Bush Quick Mart, also known as Triple T's. Several witnesses spoke to AL.com about what happened, but asked that their names not be used. A store worker said both the suspect and the officer were frequent customers of the store, but there isn't any indication they knew each other.

The suspect, the store worker said, had come into buy something and was sitting outside on a plastic crate when the officer accidentally backed into the suspect's motorcycle, knocking it over. The employee said the officer had been in the store earlier in the day and said he would be back later to buy a cap.

A woman who was just pulling into the convenience store said the suspect got angry with the officer, who wasn't in uniform, about of hitting his motorcycle with his car. The two exchanged words, and the officer began to drive off. The suspect followed him on foot to the end of the parking lot and fired four shots, according to the witness.

"He dumped four shots on him," the woman said. The officer's car spun off into a vacant garage on the corner of Avenue Y and Bush Boulevard.

The suspect began to ask people in the parking lot for help getting his bike off the ground. Several people did help him, she said. The witness said the suspect kept backing up the motorcycle, but did not crank it.

At that point, the witness, who is a registered nurse, and another man ran over to the gunshot victim.

She said the officer was in the driver's seat but slumped into the passenger side and bleeding from the left side of his head.

"Of course, we didn't know he was a police officer at the time," she said.

The witness said she does not know how the suspect got away, but the suspect's motorcycle was found not far from the scene. She said she called 9-1-1 four times, and was put on hold.

Officers from all over the city, and several agencies, descended on the scene. The police department's heavily-armed SWAT team and the Crime Reduction Team joined in the search, as did a helicopter with a spotlight. Police said the suspect left his helmet at the scene, which was used to give tracking dogs a scent to follow.

Motorists on nearby Interstate 20/59 pulled over, got out of their cars and watched the flurry of activity until police ran them off. Dozens of others walked to the crime scene and stayed for much of the night.

Roper, Bell, Jefferson County District Attorney Brandon Falls, and most of the police department's highest-ranking staff were on the scene for much of the night. Police officials had said they wouldn't sleep until a suspect was in custody.

"We know we need to provide comfort and care to the officers, but we also need to track down a killer," Roper said. "I have no doubt we will get the job done."

A suspect was taken into custody, also in Ensley, about 2 a.m. Police have not released his identity, and were questioning him at police headquarters.

Witnesses said they believed the suspect was a member of an area biker club, but police didn't confirm that. Officers did go to at least one biker clubhouse not far from the scene during their search.

The officer's body was removed from the scene about 2:20 a.m. His car was towed for evidence a short time later. Co-workers came to the scene, obviously saddened. Others gathered at the West Precinct.

Roper said that the officer was well-loved and respected. "It's really tough," the chief said.

At almost the same time of the shooting, another Birmingham officer was injured not far away. West Precinct Officer Brandon Smith was hit on Interstate 20/59 at Arkadelphia Road Saturday night while

working a wreck at. Smith, who played football at Ohio State University, suffered two broken legs and a broken pelvis. He has been on the force three years.

Police said they expect to release the name of the slain officer sometime on Sunday. Stay with AL.com for updates on the story as they become available.

Police spokesman Lt. Sean Edwards asked that anyone with information on the case call the department's homicide division at 205-254-1764 or Crimestoppers at 205-254-7777.

This story was updated at 4:45 a.m. to include more witness accounts and police confirmation that a suspect was in custody.



In an earlier version of this story, the second officer, who was hit while working a wreck on the interstate, was identified as a motorcycle officer. Story was updated to reflect that he was not a motorcycle officer.

Story updated at 11:00 a.m. Sunday to include officer's name.

