In the early morning hours of December 19, 1987, the community of Ozark, Alabama, was shattered by a sudden burst of violence that claimed the lives of two of its police officers. John Drew Seifert, a 57-year-old male officer with 12 years of service on the force, was one of the victims. He and his partner were responding to a report of a domestic disturbance, a call that is often unpredictable and fraught with danger for law enforcement.
Upon their arrival at a local duplex, Officer
Seifert and his partner, Officer Charles Ray Alcuri, were met with gunfire. A 25-year-old man named Randy Crittenden had barricaded himself inside his cousin's home and opened fire on the officers as they approached. The attack was sudden and brutal, leaving no time for the officers to react or defend themselves. Before the officers arrived, the gunman had also shot and injured a neighbor.
The initial gunshots triggered a larger law enforcement response, with state troopers and Alabama Army National Guard troops descending on the scene to surround the duplex. For several hours, authorities attempted to make contact with Crittenden, hoping to de-escalate the situation and bring a peaceful end to the standoff. Their efforts were in vain, as no response ever came from inside the house.
When officers finally made entry into the residence at 12:45 p.m., they found Crittenden deceased. He had taken his own life, using Officer Seifert's service weapon to commit the act. The motive for the initial domestic dispute and the subsequent shootings was never fully determined. The tragic event left the Ozark community mourning the loss of two dedicated officers and grappling with the senselessness of the violence. Officer Seifert was survived by his wife and children.
