In the early morning hours of March 8, 2014, 21-year-old Emerson Crayton Jr. was shot and killed outside a Huddle House in Alexander City, Alabama, after a dispute between two men. Police say an officer responding to the fight tried to intervene; Crayton entered his vehicle and allegedly accelerated toward the officer, who fired and struck Crayton. He was taken to UAB Hospital and pronounced dead.

The officer involved was identified as Tommy Maness and was placed on paid administrative leave while the shooting was investigated. A grand jury convened in May 2014 cleared Maness, finding the use of deadly force justified. The family later filed a wrongful death suit against the City of Alexander City that was resolved in a 2016 settlement for $600,000.

Community members and local clergy expressed immediate concern and called for a transparent inquiry after the shooting. If anyone witnessed the incident or has information about what happened that morning, please share it with those following the case.