By Carol Robinson
AL.com
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ala. — An Alabama deputy sheriff is recovering after he was shot five times by his father following a domestic dispute involving the deputy’s parents, authorities said Monday.
Montgomery County Sheriff Derrick Cunningham held a press conference to chronicle the events of the Friday afternoon incident that left the deputy’s father dead. The slain man’s name has not been released but authorities identified the wounded off-duty deputy as Cedric Law, a 26-year-old who has been on the force about two years.
The shooting happened Friday afternoon in 2700 block of Lower Wetumpka Road. Montgomery police are investigating.
Cunningham said ordeal began about 3 p.m. when Law was riding in the car with his mother and his brother. “His mother had just been involved in a domestic situation at her residence with his father,” the sheriff said. “She was advised by the police department to go get a warrant and seek a protection order.”
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The mother and her two sons were doing just that when they encountered the father on Lower Wetumpka Road. That’s when the father struck the family’s vehicle and then exited brandishing a gun.
Law got out of his mother’s vehicle, telling her and his brother to leave, Cunningham said.
“He was trying to get his father to put down the firearm at which time his father fired off some rounds, striking the deputy multiple times,’’ he said. “The deputy returned fire and struck his father multiple times.”
The father was pronounced dead on the scene. Law was transported to Baptist Hospital where he was listed in critical condition.
“We’re not immune from domestic violence in law enforcement,” Cunningham said. “They were trying to do what was right. His mother was reaching out for help. She went over and picked him up. He was off duty.”
Cunningham said the mother and his deputy did what they were supposed to do.
“She had dialed 911 and the police came out there,” he said. “This was a situation that got uncontrollable.”
“I’m just happy the deputy knew to tell his mother and brother to leave,’’ Cunningham said.
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The sheriff said he visited with Law on Sunday. “This is a traumatic situation that he’s in,” Cunningham said. “What we’re looking for from the community is for them to pray. Their family needs it right now. He needs it right now. We as an agency need it.”
Law, the sheriff said, is physically doing much better. “I’m hoping he’ll be discharged soon,” Cunningham said. “He was shot five times. He has a lot he’ll have to go through before he is able to come back to work. “
“We still need your prayers,’’ he said. “He has a long road ahead, but everything is looking very good right now.”
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