On August 31, 2020, 54-year-old Robert Earl Jackson of Thorsby, Alabama, was shot and killed after exchanging gunfire with law enforcement following a traffic stop. Officers say the encounter began about 12:30 p.m. when Jackson allegedly failed to yield at a stop sign; police say he produced a handgun and fired, then fled on foot through a construction area into woods while intermittently shooting at pursuing officers.

A Chilton County Sheriff’s Office K-9, Missile, located Jackson behind a fallen tree. Officials report Jackson shot the dog in the torso and fired at deputies, who returned fire and fatally wounded him. Jackson was treated on scene but died of his wounds; Missile was taken to a veterinary clinic and was expected to recover. Authorities say the handgun had been reported stolen in June 2020.

Jackson reportedly had prior felony convictions and was out on bond on several charges at the time. The Sheriff’s Office said a preliminary review found officers acted within policy and Alabama law, and the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation was asked to conduct an independent review. Jackson’s son, Jermale Phillips, disputed the account, alleging his father had been targeted and beaten two weeks earlier, a claim the sheriff’s office denied.

Did anyone in Thorsby see the traffic stop or pursuit on August 31, 2020, or have additional information about what happened?