A man who was shot by Mobile police officers during a domestic violence call last week made a brief escape attempt from the hospital where he was recovering, according to Mobile police records.
The incident began late on a Friday night when officers responded to a report of domestic violence at a home near John Will Elementary School. Police say a man had shoved his girlfriend into a sofa during an argument and was armed with a semi-automatic handgun. As officers approached the residence on foot, the suspect allegedly opened fire on them, and officers returned fire, according to Mobile police spokesman Officer Terence Perkins.
The man was struck in the chest and arm and was transported to University of South Alabama Medical Center for treatment. Neither of the two officers involved in the shooting was injured. One of the officers had been with the department for more than a decade and had previously been recognized as an officer of the month, while the other had been sworn in a few years earlier, according to department records.
Court records show that four days after the shooting, while still recovering at the hospital, the man attempted to walk away from his officer guard. According to an incident report filed in Mobile County District Court, the suspect was not handcuffed when he asked the officer watching him if he could use the restroom. Instead, he reportedly walked out of the hospital room and headed toward a nearby stairwell.
An arrest narrative filed with the court states that the man made it down two flights of stairs before he was located by authorities. He was taken back into custody and secured with handcuffs and leg shackles for the remainder of his hospital stay.
His injuries from the shooting were not considered life-threatening. Following the escape attempt, he was booked into Mobile County Metro Jail on two counts of attempted murder, along with charges of third-degree escape and third-degree domestic violence.
The domestic violence victim in the case was not identified in court records. Mobile police have not indicated whether additional charges are expected as the case moves through the court system.
The incident adds to a string of violent calls Mobile officers have responded to in recent weeks, and department leaders have continued to stress the unpredictability officers face when responding to domestic disturbance calls involving weapons.