Police in Alabama searched on Saturday for a gunman whom they believe was responsible for shooting two teens at a mall on Thanksgiving night, a day after one of their own fatally gunned down the wrong suspect — an active duty soldier home for the holidays.
Hoover Police initially claimed Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford, Jr., 21, wounded a 12-year-old bystander and an 18-year-old man following an altercation at the Riverchase Galleria in Birmingham on Thanksgiving night.
Bradford was seen running away from the scene with a weapon and was gunned down by an officer, police said.
But nearly 20 hours later, police said that while Bradford may have been involved in the altercation with the 18-year-old victim in some way, he wasn’t the person who fired the rounds that injured the victims.
His stepmother, Cynthia Kenniebrew Bradford, said Bradford was identified by cops and in media reports as the shooter before officials even spoke with the family.
“To lo0se a mom and dad was a terrible thang, but to lose a innocent child is beyond words. My heart is so heavy right now. RIP EJ,” she posted on Facebook.
According to Bradford’s Facebook, he was a US Army combat engineer stationed in Sri Lanka.
A US Army recruiter in Birmingham, Staff Sergeant Joshua Williams, posted a photo of him shaking Bradford’s hand on Saturday and expressed his condolences.
“Myself and EJ knew each other on a personal and professional level!!,” he wrote. “This one hits hard as EJ always said ‘Sarge imma do big things in the Army and make everyone proud who doubted me’ …..I am truly saddened by this incident and pray to God the family gets answers!! God Bless You and your family EJ!!!”
The officer who shot Bradford was placed on administrative leave as Hoover police conduct an internal investigation.
With Post wires
