PRESS RELEASE

Madison County Sheriff’s Office

Huntsville, Alabama

Blake L. Dorning-Sheriff

January 26, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sheriff Blake Dorning announced today that on 1/25/2016 a Madison County Sheriff’s Firearms Discharge Review Board was convened to review details of a Madison County Deputy’s use of lethal force on 1/20/2016 in the Meridianville, Alabama community. The Deputy encountered Randy Joe Sanders, Jr., age 35, a resident of Madison County on foot near the entrance of Inspirational Point subdivision and Highway 231, at approximately 11:03 pm. Mr. Sanders, a convicted felon, was armed with a loaded semi-automatic handgun at the time of the encounter.

The Huntsville Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit and Major Crimes Unit were requested by Sheriff Dorning to independently review the actions of the Deputy and to present their findings to the Review Board. The Review Board consisted of five members of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and included the ranks of Chief Deputy, Captain, Lieutenant, Sergeant, and Deputy. Presented evidence included witness statements, items recovered at the scene, crime scene diagraming, body worn camera video, 911 complaint call, and Sheriff’s Office radio traffic. An Assistant District Attorney from the Madison County District Attorney’s Office also was present during the review.

The review board determined that the Deputy’s actions involving the confrontation with Mr. Sanders were within Sheriff’s Office policy and procedures for the use of deadly force.

The facts and details of Huntsville Police Department’s Internal Affairs and Major Crimes investigation into the Deputy’s use of lethal force will be presented to a Madison County Grand Jury in the near future for review.

Questions concerning this release may be directed to Madison County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division (CID) Lieutenant Michael Salomonsky (256) 533-8823.