In the early hours of a Monday morning in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a family's call for help ended in tragedy. On March 25, 2024, 45-year-old Evet Michelle Tower was shot and killed by a Tuscaloosa police officer at the Aspen Village Apartments. The events leading to her death began to unfold around 4:00 a.m. when officers responded to a distress call from Tower's adult daughter.
According to reports, Ms.
Tower, who her family says had been struggling with mental health issues, had attempted to stab her daughter with a kitchen knife. It was this act of violence that prompted the call to the police. When officers arrived at the apartment complex, they were confronted with a volatile situation that ultimately led to an officer discharging their weapon.
Evet Michelle Tower was struck by the gunfire and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her family, while mourning their loss, has been left searching for answers as to why the situation escalated to such a fatal conclusion. They described her as a sweet person who loved her family, including her children and grandchildren, and was not known to be harmful.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the Tuscaloosa Police Department stated that body camera footage of the incident would be made available to the family. The officer who fired the fatal shot was placed on administrative leave, a standard procedure in officer-involved shootings, pending an investigation. Authorities have indicated that after a preliminary review of the footage, they do not believe the shooting was unjustified. The case is still under investigation and will be presented to the district attorney's office.
