Selma neighborhood honors fallen officer

SELMA, Ala. (WSFA) - One week ago Tuesday morning, we woke up to a horrifying situation in Selma.

A police officer had been shot and killed in the line of the duty, the first in recent memory. Some neighborhood children stepped up the plate Tuesday and did something special.

Ground zero is the Lansdowne neighborhood in Selma. A neighborhood assignment. One headed by former Selma City Councilwoman Susan Youngblood..

“And I thought wouldn’t it be nice for the neighborhood to have ribbons,” Youngblood said.

“I think we’re going to put out about 120, 130 today,” said Meredith Johnson.

The goal? Tie a blue ribbon to every mailbox - ribbons to remember fallen officer Marquis Moorer and the entire Selma Police Department. This comes one week to the very day when Moorer was shot and killed. City leaders were more succinct saying he was “ambushed.”

“I was actually really shocked,” said 15-year-old Kate Patterson.

It was that shock that propelled Kate to give up part of her day to do this, that is tie one on for Moorer.

“But when I heard that this was going on I was glad that I could be a part something to help honor him and his legacy,” said Kate.

At just 15 years old Kate says this is the most meaningful project she’s ever worked on. She created a memory. One she’ll never forget.

“It makes me feel like I’m doing something to be a part of it,” Kate said.

Youngblood and Johnson hope what’s being done in Lansdowne will be repeated in other Selma neighborhoods and businesses.

“We would like the police to go everywhere in Selma and say ‘they really do support us,’” she said.

Blue ribbons for the men and women in blue, ribbons tied with care and honor.

Suspect Javonte Stubbs remains in the Chilton County jail charged with two counts of capital murder and one count of attempted murder. The attempted murder charge is levied because Stubbs also allegedly shot Moorer’s significant other during the shooting at Moorer’s apartment. The girlfriend or wife is expected to recover, according to authorities.

Moorer’s funeral is set for Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Lewis Brothers Funeral Home on Minter Avenue in Selma. Graveside services will be on Thursday starting at 11 a.m. at Pineview Memory Gardens in Valley Grande.

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