Officer Arnold Gunther Strickland

Arnold Gunther Strickland

Officer Arnold Strickland and Corporal Crump were shot and killed at 0530 hours when a suspect grabbed the service weapon of one of the officers and opened fire.

The officers were booking the suspect at the police department for operating a stolen vehicle when the incident occurred. Besides killing both officers, the suspect also shot and killed Dispatcher Leslie "Ace" Mealer, who was in the dispatcher's office at the time. The suspect then stole a patrol car and fled the scene. He was apprehended three hours later by deputies from the Lowndes County, Mississippi Sheriff's Office. The suspect was convicted of capital murder and was sentenced to death on October 6, 2005.

The Fayette, Alabama, Police Department is a 14-person law enforcement agency.

Officer Strickland had 26 years of law enforcement experience and had served with the Fayette Police Department for three years. He is survived by his three sons, two granddaughter and three brothers.