Kimberly police officer Nick O’Rear was fatally shot Tuesday night during a pursuit on Interstate 65 South, according to authorities.

O’Rear, 33, was a father of two with a third child on the way and had been a Kimberly police officer for a year or less. “Everybody loved him,” Kimberly Mayor Bob Ellerbrock said. “He was a tremendous asset to our community.”

O’Rear was pronounced dead at UAB Hospital at 1:15 a.m. Wednesday morning. His death marks the first time a Kimberly police officer has ever been killed in the line of duty. "You have a life taken away for no reason,'' the mayor said. “It is senseless. It is sad.”

The death of the Kimberly officer is the first law enforcement line of duty death in Alabama in 2020. Statewide, six police officers were shot to death in the line of duty in 2019. A Monroe County deputy also died in 2019 when he lost control of his patrol vehicle and hit a tree.

O’Rear began his law enforcement career at the Ashville Police Department before joining Kimberly roughly a year ago. He had recently trained to be K9 handler and was partnered with Stella, a drug-sniffing dog. "He was a very good person, a very good officer,'' said Warrior Police Chief Ray Horn. “In fact, we tried to hire him away from Kimberly. That goes on a lot here – we all work really close together.”

It was one of Horn’s officers who initially tried to pull over the suspect, which launched the pursuit. O’Rear quickly responded to help. "He was always the first one to jump up on the interstate to help,'' Horn said.

Asked about the welfare of his own officer after the Tuesday-night ordeal, Horn said, “He’s having a hard time with it. He was very close to losing his life also.”

We’re live in Kimberly, Alabama for a press conference about the incident that left a Kimberly police officer fatally shot Tuesday night. Posted by al.com on Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Gov. Kay Ivey has spoken with the officer’s parents, her office said Wednesday morning.

“I am profoundly grieved to hear of the passing of the Kimberly Police Officer who was shot in the line of duty last night. The safety of our citizens and the rule of law is forefront on the minds of our officers who willingly risk their lives on behalf of ours. His sacrifice will never be forgotten," Ivey said.

Four people were taken into custody in connection to the shooting.

Only one of the four - Preston Johnson, 37 - has been charged in O’Rear’s death. Johnson faces capital murder charges because the victim was a law enforcement officer and because the shots were allegedly fired from inside a vehicle and into another vehicle, said Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr.

Johnson also faces a charge of attempted murder of a Warrior police officer and firing a gun into that officer’s vehicle.

The other three detained are not likely to be charged, authorities said, because they picked Johnson after he wrecked the car police said was used during O’Rear’s shooting.

The handcuffs used to arrest Johnson belonged to Walker County sheriff’s Sgt. Kevin Emberg. On Wednesday, Emberg asked Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith to officially retire those handcuffs. His request was accompanied by a photo of the handcuffs with the suspect’s name and the officer’s official date of death handwritten on them.

The handcuffs used to arrest Johnson belonged to Walker County sheriff’s Sgt. Kevin Emberg. On Wednesday, Emberg asked Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith to officially retire those handcuffs. His request was accompanied by a photo of the handcuffs with the suspect’s name and the officer’s official date of death handwritten on them. (Walker County Sheriff's Office)

Johnson was booked into the Jefferson County jail on a charge of capital murder of a police officer at 5:39 Wednesday morning, according to the jail booking log. Johnson is being held without bond, the jail log states.

The incident began shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday when Warrior police attempted to stop a vehicle. When the vehicle would not stop, Kimberly police joined the chase. Authorities said the Kimberly officer got in front of the suspect’s vehicle and that’s when shots were fired. A Warrior resident who lives near the shooting scene said she heard 10 to 12 shots in rapid succession.

O’Rear was struck while driving and crashed his cruiser a short distance away. He was rushed by Warrior firefighters to UAB Hospital with a large police escort.

Family members of slain Kimberly police officer are here for press conference that is about to begin pic.twitter.com/RsOuVc42OO — carol robinson (@RobinsonCarol) February 5, 2020

Warrior police Lt. Corey Archer said a suspect and three other individuals were taken into custody on U.S. 78 near Dora. Jefferson County deputies, Adamsville and Sumiton police were among those at the arrest site. The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting.

Shortly after 1 a.m., before the four were detained on U.S. 78, the SBI issued a blue alert in connection to the shooting. The alert was later cancelled when officials said the suspect, 37-year-old Preston Chyenne Johnson, was in custody.

(Some court and jail records spell his middle name Chyenne; others Cheyenne.)

Officer O'Rear

“Preston Chyenne Johnson may be traveling in a black 4-door 2003 BMW 325ISA with Alabama tag 2495AS2 and missing a bumper,” the alert stated. “Preston Chyenne Johnson is believed to be a serious risk to the public. Preston Chyenne Johnson was last seen traveling southbound on Interstate 65 around mile marker 281 on February 4, 2020."

At some point after the shooting, Johnson crashed the BMW and called someone to pick him up in a GMC pickup, which he was in when detained on U.S. 78, authorities said. The truck was towed from the scene early Wednesday morning. Johnson reportedly had a large amount of money on him when he was taken into custody.

Authorities were able to find the crashed BMW, as well as multiple other items of evidence.

ATF agents, task force officers and a K9 team responded to the crime scene to assist the SBI with the investigation and to help recover any possible ballistic evidence. ATF explosive detection K9s are trained to detect minute quantities of explosive residue including smokeless gun powder. These dogs can find firearms, cartridge casings and even other items which were in close proximity when firearms were discharged, said David Hyche, ATF’s assistant special agent in charge in Alabama.

The K9 teams frequently locate these items in wooded areas and are often able to find these items after considerable time has passed and during or after a rain. "When an Alabama law enforcement officer is murdered, we all come together as one family regardless of which badge we wear,'' Hyche said. “This is becoming far too common an occurrence in Alabama.”

This is the scene where the shooting happened. https://t.co/RCR1qLjrUa pic.twitter.com/dKgqAeOZqL — carol robinson (@RobinsonCarol) February 5, 2020

Johnson has a lengthy criminal history, according to state and federal court records.

According to state court records, Johnson was arrested in Cullman County on Oct. 31, 2019 on charges of possession of drugs with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. Police found him with 13 grams methamphetamines, suboxone, baggies, and scales. Records state Johnson was also in possession of a stolen Corvette.

Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry at the time told AL.com that Johnson also had an AR-15, which he was forbidden to have because he is a convicted felon.

That case had a hearing set for March 2, records state.

The Cullman County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday filed a motion to revoke Johnson’s bond on those drug charges. Though he had been arrested on 20 different charges dating back to the early 2000s, and convicted of at least six felony charges, he was released on his own recognizance just five days after his Oct. 31, 2019 arrest.

“While on bond…the defendant has been booked into the Jefferson County Jail on a charge of capital murder of a Kimberly police officer,’’ wrote Cullman County Assistant District Attorney Jefferey H. Roberts.

In addition to those pending 2019 cases, Johnson pleaded guilty in 2017 to drug possession with intent to distribute and sentenced to 75 months in jail. His attorney asked he be able to take part in a diversion program, however a judge denied that request.

In 2011, Johnson pleaded guilty to drug possession. He was sentenced to 15 years with 18 months to serve. He pleaded guilty in 2009 to drug possession and was sentenced to five years in prison.

In 2005, he pleaded guilty to theft of property and received a 15-year suspended sentence. He pleaded guilty to forgery in 2001 and received a three-year sentence.

A man holds a flag in honor of a slain Kimberly police officer.

In addition to Johnson’s criminal history in state courts, Johnson was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2012 on a charge of being a felon in possession of a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol during a June 20, 2009 arrest in Winston County.

The indictment cited Johnson’s previous criminal convictions: a June 6, 2001 conviction in Cullman for possession of a forged instrument; an Aug. 15, 2001 conviction in Cullman County for second degree forgery; and a May 17, 2005 conviction in Cullman County for first degree theft of property.

Johnson pleaded guilty to the gun charge. He was sentenced to a year and one day in prison and a supervised release term of three years.

Johnson was arrested on January 11, 2016, for violating the terms and conditions of that supervised release. The next month, a federal magistrate judge sent him to federal prison for 12 months and a day.

According to the federal magistrate’s order: “After being placed on supervised release, defendant Johnson admitted to use of methamphetamine in January 2015. He was later placed in the Color-Code Random Urinalysis Program for drug testing. Defendant never showed up for the first drug test. He failed to report for drug testing in June, July, August, September, and October 2015. Defendant Johnson failed to appear for his test in August 2015 after having been specifically told to attend.

“Defendant Johnson is also supposed to report to his U.S. Probation Officer each month. He reported in October 2015, but he has failed to report since that time.”

“We’ve had numerous dealings with him over the years and our community is familiar with him,’’ Sheriff Gentry said of Johnson. “My heart and prayers go out to the family” of the Kimberly officer, he added.

Law enforcement officials from around the state are mourning O’Rear’s death.

“This tragedy is yet another heartbreaking reminder of the dangers all law enforcement face while we enjoy the safety they provide us,'' said Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Jay Town. "We must ask ourselves how we can all join together to bridge the respect deficit for law enforcement that is directly and indirectly leading to violence against our brave men and women of the badge. Enough is enough.”

One of O’Rear’s co-workers, Kimberly police Sgt. Shawn Jones, said it’s tough but those on the force are handling as best they can. "The danger is always there,'' Jones said. “We know that going in.”

Chief Horn said O’Rear’s death is on the minds of other officers as they report for their shifts. His message to them is this: “Just be safe. Go ahead and do your job the best you can, but the No. 1 rule is go home at night.”

"You have to be a very special person to do this job,'' Horn said. “It’s not for everybody.”

AL.com managing producer Kent Faulk contributed to this report.