Family of Huntsville man killed in ‘deputy-involved shooting’ seeks answers

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - Five months ago, 50-year-old Ray King was shot and killed by deputies with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.

The family said deputies showed up at the wrong house and killed an innocent man. King’s parents and sister spoke exclusively with WAFF 48 as they continue to search for answers.

“I still can’t believe it,” Ray King’s mother, Ruby King, said. “They took away something I can’t get back.”

She said she’s still in shock and thinks what happened on Jan. 5 was all a misunderstanding and a mistake by deputies.

“He always obeyed the law,” Ruby King said. “He never did anything wrong. The only thing he has ever done was go to work and come home. He might go fishing. But he never bothered anybody and he would never hurt anybody.”

Hours after the shooting, one of Ray’s daughters said he came outside without a gun. But now, the family says they’ve all watched a home security video from the house next door and confirm Ray did have a 9mm gun when he walked outside to check things out.

However, Ray’s sister, Tina Walker, said deputies had no reason to shoot him.

“I saw the security video,” Tina Walker said. “He walked outside and was looking around, looking for an intruder. But, I saw the video, he never raised his gun.”

The home security video they’re referring to came from Ray King’s daughter next door. That house was the scene of arguing and gunshots 30 minutes prior to deputies arriving. But Ray’s father, Johnny King, said deputies came to the wrong house.

“The trouble was over next door,” Johnny King said. “Ray’s youngest daughter was over at her house. Her boyfriend and she had a big loud ruckus (fight).”

Ruby King said the men were outside shooting a gun and that’s the house deputies should have responded to.

“Ray saw flashlights outside and he said, ‘I think someone’s outside, an intruder’,” Ruby King said. “We just saw flashlights no blue lights.”

The parents said Ray King instinctually got his handgun and went outside to see who was walking around the home. That’s when they say, he was shot by deputies.

“They never said nothing, they just started shooting,” Ruby King.

Officials with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office confirmed deputies made contact with Ray King, who was armed. Deputies fired their weapons and Ray King was struck.

His family says after he was shot, Ray King managed to walk back inside the home and lock the door. They believe he thought “someone” — not law enforcement — shot him.

They said deputies continued to fire shots, even after Ray King retreated into the home. The King’s home is still riddled with bullet holes.

“It sounded like a war zone. It was like boom, boom, boom,” Johnny King said.

Ruby King called 911 minutes after Ray was shot, requesting medical help. They say deputies refused to let paramedics in the home and say their son bled to death.

“They let him lay right here and bleed out in our home, they let him die right here,” Johnny King said.

His parents still don’t understand how something like this could happen to their son. They describe him as a quiet simple man who worked as a janitor at New Market Elementary School for 15 years.

“I don’t care about the money,” Ruby King said. “There’s no amount to bring back what I lost. I do hope they pay for what they did. He was innocent he didn’t do any wrong.”

Ray King’s daughters have hired an attorney. The parents didn’t hire an attorney, they just want answers.

The outcome of the investigation is still in the hands of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), but they haven’t commented on the status of their investigation.

Madison County District Attorney, Rob Broussard, said they haven’t received the completed investigation from ALEA, but they expect to have it soon.

When asked if the deputies involved in the incident had returned to duty, the sheriff’s office responded with the following:

“We are unable to comment at this time due to the ongoing investigation.”

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