Mobile Police: Man Posing as Officer Suspected in Fatal Roadside Shooting

Mobile police believe a man impersonating a police officer pulled over a driver near the intersection of Theodore Dawes Road and Interstate 10 early Friday morning, handcuffed him, and shot him to death before fleeing the scene.

Officers found 29-year-old David Patrick Kyles fatally shot at the intersection around 1:45 a.m., according to Mobile Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Rains. The car Kyles had been driving was missing from the scene, described as a black 2002 Honda Accord bearing license plate number 2AT7771.

Police Chief James Barber called the incident one of the most serious public safety concerns law enforcement can face, pointing to the danger posed by someone using a fake police identity to stop unsuspecting drivers.

According to witnesses, a man driving a white Ford Crown Victoria pulled Kyles over at the intersection just before the shooting. The suspect was described as wearing all black clothing, including a black mask or hood covering his face.

Investigators later recovered the white Crown Victoria around 10:30 a.m. in a wooded area near the crime scene. The vehicle had a municipal-style license plate attached to it, which police determined had been reported stolen off a detective’s take-home car earlier that same morning.

Police urged the public to stay away from Kyles’ missing black Honda Accord if spotted, warning that whoever is driving it could be dangerous. Anyone who sees the vehicle is asked to avoid approaching it and instead contact police immediately.

The Mobile Police Department asked anyone with information about the case to call its main line at 251-208-7211, or to reach the department’s intelligence unit by texting the keyword CRIME411 to CRIMES (274637). Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 251-208-7000.

Mobile police have not said whether they believe the suspect specifically targeted Kyles or whether the stop was random, and the investigation into the shooting remains ongoing as detectives work to identify the person responsible and locate the missing Honda Accord.

Impersonating an officer under Alabama law

Under Alabama law, a person commits the crime of impersonating a peace officer by falsely pretending to be an officer and doing any act in that capacity, such as pulling over a driver. The offense is a Class C felony, punishable by one year and a day to 10 years in prison.