An Alabama firefighter was shot after a bank robbery when she saw a wreck and stopped to help the driver.
Grace McClusky, a Center Star Fire District firefighter in Lauderdale County, was on her way home from work Tuesday when she came upon a crashed vehicle.
he incident also left the suspect dead and a Florence police officer wounded.
ALEA on Wednesday identified the slain man as Louis Michael Hill. He was 26 and lived in Rogersville.
The ordeal began shortly before 3 p.m. when Florence police and Lauderdale County sheriff deputies responded to PNC Bank on Cox Creek Parkway.
Florence police were on the scene of a shooting Tuesday, March 25, 2025 on U.S. 72 near Shoals Outdoor Sports.Florence police
As officers and deputies arrived on scene, the man was seen leaving the bank.
At a news conference later, police said the man was reportedly acting erratic.
A vehicle pursuit ensued and ended when the suspect’s vehicle collided with another vehicle on U.S. 72, just east of County Road 323.
Hill, ALEA said, then tried to steal another vehicle, believed to be that of McCluskey, and advanced toward law enforcement officers. Gunfire was then exchanged.
One of the officers was struck in the shoulder, and McCluskey was also hit. Both are recovering.
The State Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation.
“We are immensely relieved and grateful to report that Firefighter McClusky is doing well and is now recovering at home,‘’ Center Star officials said. “Her strength and resilience serve as a testament to her character, and we are confident that she will make a full recovery.”
“We ask for the continued thoughts and prayers of our community, not only for Firefighter McClusky but also for the Florence police officer who was injured in the same incident,‘’ they wrote. “Their dedication to serving and protecting others is a reminder of the risks that first responders face every day.”
