From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM — The Birmingham police officer shot in the line of duty on Wednesday afternoon was identified as a 10-year veteran of the force.
Sgt. Anthony Wheeler, a 10-year veteran from the West Precinct, was shot several times during a traffic stop following tips regarding an auto theft investigation — There have been multiple thefts throughout the city that have involved trucks with trailers or unmarked wreckers stealing vehicles.
Wheeler and another officer stopped a truck that was towing a vehicle at around 1 p.m. in the 1200 block of Tuscaloosa Avenue; The stop was meant to check and make sure that the occupants of the truck had proper paperwork. Following the stop, two suspects jumped out of the truck and Wheeler gave chase.
During the pursuit, one of the suspects fired upon Wheeler as he tripped and fell, striking him multiple times.
Wheeler and another officer managed to fire back, hitting one of the suspects.
Wheeler is currently being treated at UAB hospital. His condition is unknown, but al.com reports that the injuries are believed to be non-life-threatening. Birmingham police said that the wounded suspect was taken to the hospital. Two others were also taken into custody.
Birmingham City Council President William Parker called for residents to come together hours after the officer was shot on Tuscaloosa Avenue between 11th and 12th Streets Southwest.
“These senseless acts of violence must stop,” Parker said. “We are calling on all our residents to come together and unite against these hostile acts, because this violence affects us all. We are offering our thoughts and prayers to the officer and their family during this difficult time. We are going to continue monitoring this situation closely and provide any support we can.”
This shooting is the second officer-involved shooting in nearly a month. Birmingham Police Detective John Finke was shot and injured in January as he responded to a potential robbery in progress near Woodlawn’s Church of the Highlands campus.
“Every day, the men and women of the Birmingham Police Department put on their uniforms and go to work for the citizens of Birmingham. They put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe,” said Councilor Hunter Williams, who chairs the Public Safety Committee. “We are going to continue to lift up this officer in our thoughts and prayers. As a Council, we must continue to find ways to support our men and women in uniform and make sure they have all the tools they need to stay safe while serving our residents.”