In the pre-dawn hours of January 13, 2019, Birmingham Police Sergeant WyTasha Carter, a 44-year-old male, was shot and killed in the line of duty. He and another officer were investigating a series of car break-ins in the 900 block of Fifth Avenue North when they confronted two suspects. As the officers were patting down the men for weapons, one of the suspects produced a handgun and opened fire.
Sergeant Carter was fatally wounded, and a second officer was critically injured.
The incident sparked an immediate and intensive investigation. One of the suspects, who was wounded by return fire, was taken into custody at the scene, along with a second individual. The wounded suspect was later identified as 31-year-old Jeremy Elwin Owens. An 18-year-old who was also taken into custody was later released without being charged. The investigation was led by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's State Bureau of Investigation.
In February 2019, Jeremy Elwin Owens was officially charged with capital murder for the death of Sergeant Carter and attempted murder for shooting at the other officer. The warrants were served as he was released from the hospital and taken into police custody. He had been hospitalized since the shooting due to the injuries he sustained.
In February 2021, to avoid the death penalty, Jeremy Elwin Owens pleaded guilty to the murder of Sergeant WyTasha Carter and the attempted murder of the second officer. He was sentenced to three life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole. The plea agreement brought a close to the criminal case, providing a measure of justice for the family of Sergeant Carter and the Birmingham Police Department. Sergeant Carter was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served in law enforcement for 17 years, the last eight of which were with the Birmingham Police Department. He was survived by his wife and children.
