In DEMOPOLIS, AL – A former Alabama State Trooper was shot dead by police after authorities say he shot west Alabama District Attorney Greg Griggers in the face Thursday afternoon.

The former state trooper is identified as Steve Smith. He was shot and killed by a Demopolis police officer after the incident between Smith and Griggers.

Griggers was treated for his injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. He is the District Attorney in charge of Marengo, Greene, and Sumter counties.

The incident happened near a school in Demopolis close to Griggers’ office. The school was placed on a lockdown during and after the incident.

Steve Smith was previously questioned in connection with a 1996 incident in which someone used a shotgun to shoot up the home of Sumter County Circuit Judge Eddie Hardaway, the first black judge to preside over Sumter, Marengo and Greene counties.

“It is the same trooper [from] all those years ago. My agents with the [4th Judicial Circuit] drug task force have been down there for a few hours and they say it’s definitely him,” Jackson said. “I asked them if they were 100 percent sure it’s him and they said they are.”

The reason behind this random shooting is unknown as of now, considering the former trooper is now dead who knows if we’ll know the truth. Either way it was very stupid of him to shoot the DA in front of other officers right? So it really leans me towards a kind of spur of the moment shooting. Why else would this guy ever shoot a gun near a school? Obviously he was not in a good state of mind. I will post any updates on the case as they become available.