Officer Carlos Winston Owen

Carlos Winston Owen

Officer Owen, Officer Harley Chisholm, and Officer Robert Bennett were shot and killed at approximately 1330 hours while serving a warrant at a home near 18th Street and Avenue P, in the Ensley area of the city.

The three victim officers, along with a fourth officer, went to the one-story row house that contained several apartments with a warrant for the arrest of a man on a misdemeanor assault charge. Officer Owen and Officer Chisholm entered the apartment through the back door intending to arrest the suspect.

The suspect broke away from them and ran toward the front of the house where Officer Bennett was about to come through the front door. One of the suspects then opened fire with an automatic SKS rifle, killing all three officers and wounding the fourth officer.

The suspected shooter and several other suspects were taken into custody near the scene by a tactical team a short time later. On January 19, 2005, the suspect that shot shot the officers was convicted of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. On September 23, 2005, he was given three death sentences.

Officer Owen had served with the Birmingham Police Department for 26 years and was assigned to the West Precinct. He is survived by his wife, five children, and nine grandchildren.