Huntsville officer killed in line of duty Tuesday is Tuscaloosa native

A Huntsville Police officer killed in the line of duty Tuesday is a Tuscaloosa native who formerly worked at the Tuscaloosa Police Department.

According to the Huntsville Police Department, officers responded to a shooting call at 4:45 p.m. and found a female shooting victim at the location of the crime.

Two responding officers were shot by someone at the scene. Both officers were taken to Huntsville Hospital with life-threatening injuries, and the person accused of their shooting was captured just before 6:30 p.m. and taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

In a news release Tuesday, the city of Huntsville announced one of those officers had died.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall later released his own statement and identified the fallen officer as Garrett Crumby, a three-year veteran of HPD and an eight-year veteran of the Tuscaloosa Police Department:

“Tonight, our State grieves the death of another member of the law enforcement community—one who, when called upon, ran toward danger in aide of a female victim.”

“Huntsville Police Officer Garrett Crumby and fellow Officer Albert Morin were responding to an emergency domestic violence call for service when they were ambushed by an armed suspect. The suspect had already shot and injured a female victim who was present on the scene.

“Both officers were transported by ambulance to Huntsville Hospital where they received emergency treatment. Officer Morin is now out of surgery and remains in critical condition, while Officer Crumby did not survive his injuries.

“Our part of the country has been reminded again this week of the pure heroism of those who make up the thin blue line—the dividing line, at times, between life and death for the citizens that they swear an oath to protect. These two law enforcement officers responded to a domestic violence call this evening, knowing full well that they would be placing their lives on the line in defense of their fellow man. We must never take their service and sacrifice for granted.”

“Officer Crumby was a three-year veteran of the Huntsville Police Department. He previously served for eight years with the Tuscaloosa Police Department. He is the first Alabama police officer to fall to gunfire this year, but the third to be shot in the line of duty.”

Huntsville Police have not yet officially announced Crumby’s death, but Tuscaloosa Police confirm he worked at TPD between November 2013 and August 2020.

TPD released the following statement Wednesday morning:

“We are heartbroken by the line-of-duty death of Huntsville Police Officer Garrett Crumby yesterday.

Officer Crumby served as a Tuscaloosa Police officer from 2013 until accepting the job with Huntsville PD in August 2020. His wife worked for us as a dispatcher for several years. While we were sad to see both of them go, we were glad they had settled in and were thriving in her hometown.

A Huntsville news crew recently highlighted a reunion between Crumby, a fellow HPD officer and a citizen they assisted in 2022. The man had been pushing his wheelchair, filled with groceries, down a busy road just as a storm was coming in. The officers loaded the wheelchair and groceries in their patrol car, drove the man home and had everything inside just as the heavy rains began. He understood this job isn’t just about responding to crimes –  it’s about helping others and making connections with the people we serve.

Huntsville PD’s motto is ‘Courage, Integrity and Professionalism.’ Officer Crumby exhibited all of those qualities while serving the citizens of Tuscaloosa and Huntsville. Our thoughts are with his family, and the men and women of Huntsville PD as they mourn this terrible loss.”

Crumby graduated from Hillcrest High School in 2004. He was 36 years old.