From Staff Reports

On Jan. 15, officers of the Clanton Police Department responded to a call about a man shot near the intersection of First Avenue North and 12th Street South. Officers arrived to find 49-year-old Reginald Darrell Walker dead on the scene.

While on the scene, officers were contacted by Erick Montez Kine who said he was involved in the incident. Kine gave a voluntary statement and assisted detectives in recovering the weapon used in the shooting.

Detectives processed the crime scene and located several articles of evidence. Witnesses indicated that Kine was not the aggressor in the incident and that he might have been acting in self-defense at the time of the incident.

Kine was released without charges after the CPD consulted with the District Attorney’s Office.

“We ask for prayers for both families touched by this tragic event as well as for the detectives who must work to ensure that the appropriate action is taken in regards to this case,” Captain David Clackley wrote in a press release. “The weight of dealing with a case in which two lives hang in the balance can be taxing and rarely will both sides be content with the outcome.”

The investigation is ongoing and if new evidence surfaces, the direction of the case could change, according to Clanton police. Anyone with information that may assist in the investigation should contact Detective Robert Bland at the CPD.

“Our detectives work hard to ensure that action taken is based on the evidence and in accordance with the laws that govern us,” Clackley wrote. “We would like to say thanks to the community for their cooperation and understanding both during the initial investigation as well as in the months to come. Incidents like these can affect an entire community and we must work together to prevent further violence and loss of life.”

The CPD thanked the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office, Jemison Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in the case.