Sheriff: Lawrence deputy shoots, kills armed man after chase

Michael Wetzel, The Decatur Daily, Ala.
·2 min read

Aug. 7—MOULTON — A Lawrence County deputy shot and killed a Trinity man Saturday night after a chase when the man pointed a flare gun with a modified shotgun shell at the officer, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Max Sanders identified the deceased as Marty Robbin Hutto, 50, of Lawrence County 575 in Trinity. No hometown of the victim was released. A Sheriff's Office spokesman said Hutto resided in Moulton in the past, according to a jail booking report.

Sanders said the deputy involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave with pay, a standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is handling the investigation.

According to a statement by the Sheriff's Office, the deputy attempted to stop Hutto's vehicle about 9:15 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Lawrence County 217 and 214. The report said Hutto was driving a gold Ford F-150 down the center of the road.

Hutto began tossing nails and bottles from his truck in an attempt to disable the deputy's vehicle, according to the statement, and the items broke the windshield and damaged the tires of the patrol car.

The report said Hutto's truck became disabled on Lawrence County 222, south of Hillsboro, and when Hutto exited his truck, he pointed a gun at the deputy. The deputy shot at Hutto and struck him, the report said. The victim fell next to his truck and died from his injuries, the Sheriff's Office said.

Coroner Scott Norwood pronounced Hutto dead at the scene at 10:31 p.m. Norwood said Hutto was shot in the upper left arm. Norwood said Hutto drove through a cornfield before his truck became disabled in the Chicken Foot community.

it was later determined Hutto's gun was a flare gun loaded with a modified 12-gauge shotgun shell, Sanders said in the report.

The Sheriff's Office said Hutto had outstanding warrants for his arrest on domestic violence charges.

Hutto's body was sent to the state forensics office in Huntsville for an autopsy, Norwood said.

"I stand by my deputies," Sanders said in the statement. "Any threat to their safety will be met in kind. Please keep my deputy, the deputy's family and the families affected by this in your thoughts and prayers."

— mike.wetzel@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442. Twitter @DD_Wetzel.