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By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY – The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that two deputies have been shot and injured in a shooting on Wednesday morning, March 22.

Both deputies have been transported to a local hospital for treatment after being shot and injured on the 3100 block of Bradford Place in the Meadowbrook neighborhood near Valleydale Road and U.S. 280.

According to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were on a welfare check when shots were fired.

“We had a very unfortunate incident that occurred here,” Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego said. “We received a call from a homeowner who was out of town requesting us to check their house due to one of their grown children they thought might be in town and breaking into their house.”

The SCSO responded to the call and went to the house on the 3100 block of Bradford Place and found the back door broken into. They then got permission from the homeowners to enter the house and then entered to clear the home.

“When they got to the upstairs area of the house, they made contact with somebody in a bathroom,” Samaniego said. “They were conversing with them trying to get them to come out. At that point, without warning, they fired upon deputies, hitting two deputies. At that point, the other two deputies got those deputies to safety and then maintained the position and negotiated with the individual until he put the gun down and gave up.”

The suspect was detained, and there was no other threat to the public.

Both deputies were transported to UAB Hospital and one of the deputies was being prepped for surgery.

“Immediate prognosis is both of them will be fine,” Samaniego said. “We can only hope and pray for that. This is a CEO of a law enforcement agency’s worst nightmare.”

One of the deputies did return fire during the incident, so the Shelby County Major Crimes Task Force led by the District Attorney’s Office and District Attorney Matt Casey as well as the Alabaster and Pelham police departments will take over the investigation. The shot from the deputy did not injure the suspect.

Citizens are advised to avoid the area and to expect an increased law enforcement presence.

More details will be released as they become available.