Update: Police Issue Correction, Officer Did Not Shoot Mall Gunman

A good guy with a gun shot and killed an attacker at an Alabama mall “within seconds” of that attacker shooting and wounding two people.

WVTM reports that the good guy, a Hoover, Alabama, police officer, shot the gunman, who was then pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident occurred at Riverchase Galleria.

Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said, “From the time that shooting took place, they engaged and it was safe within seconds that it happened. You don’t see that too often. So very, very proud of that.”

Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato said, “Unfortunately, an individual lost his life. Unfortunately, one of our police officers had to engage that individual. He did so as a professional. He did so at the risk of his own life. But he stepped in to protect thousands, and I’m grateful for that.”

WBRC reports that the incident occurred around 9:30 pm on Thanksgiving night. That 21-year-old Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford, Jr., who is now deceased, shot an 18-year-old twice following a physical confrontation. Bradford also shot a 12-year-old girl. The 18-year-old is in serious condition and WBRC indicates the female is “alert” and “talking.”

UPDATE: The Hoover Police Department released a correction after reporting that one of their officers had shot the Riverchase Galleria gunman. In the correction they admitted to shooting a 21-year-old Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford, Jr., whom they now describe as ‘fleeing the shooting scene while brandishing a handgun,’ although ‘he likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim.’

Police say the actual gunman is still at large.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News, the host of the Breitbart podcast Bullets with AWR Hawkins, and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.