Courtney Coco Jan Ashley was 35 when she was fatally shot near Brother Bryan Park in Birmingham, Alabama, on the evening of Sunday, May 16, 2021. Friends and family recalled her as a vibrant, compassionate person who had spent recent years in public service focused on overdose prevention and saving lives.

The shooting occurred during a violent altercation that reportedly began over a dog and also left another man dead. The suspect fled the scene, and police mounted a search that ended later that evening when officers located him. An attempt to apprehend the suspect led to an exchange of gunfire in which the suspect was killed and four officers were injured.

The suspect’s death brought the manhunt to an immediate close, but it also removed the possibility of a criminal trial that might have clarified more details about what happened that night. Anyone who knew Courtney, saw the events near Brother Bryan Park, or has information about the altercation is asked to come forward.