Four Alabama law enforcement officers are being remembered as part of a countrywide tour to remember officers who died in the line of duty in 2021.
The End of Watch Ride to Remember stopped first in north Alabama Tuesday to honor Sheffield police Sgt. Nick Risner, who died Oct. 2, 2021, following a shootout in Muscle Shoals. On Wednesday, the tour stopped first in Birmingham to honor Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy Willie Hall, who died Sept. 14, 2021, of COVID-19.
It was then traveling to Shelby County in memory of Pelham Officer Juan Gomez who died Aug. 14, 2021, also from COVID-19, and then on to Selma to honor Selma police Officer Marquis Moorer, who died July 27, 2021, when he was shot to death in an ambush while he stopped at his apartment to pick up something to eat.
The 22,000-mile-plus tour is part of the nonprofit group Beyond the Call of Duty. Organizer Jagrut Shah, a retired police officer, launched inaugural ride several years ago. The group is made up of former and current officers and includes motorcycle riders that follow a customized 28-foot trailer with photos of the fallen officers.
Beginning in early 2020, due to the requirements of their job, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the United States contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic. Hundreds of law enforcement officers died from medical complications as a result of contracting the virus while remaining on duty and interacting with the community and began being included in fallen officer memorials.
“I’ve had officers that I worked with that were killed in the line of duty, died in the line of duty,’’ Shah said. “We resurrect their stories, bring them back to life.”
“We remember their families, their loved ones and let them know that we’re remembering their loved ones,’’ Shah said. “The families appreciate this happening.”
Deputy Hall, a 48-year-old husband and father, became ill with the virus just one week before he died.
Hall served in the U.S. Army before joining the Birmingham Police Department. After 20 years of service there, he retired in 2018 and joined the sheriff’s office where he served for the past three years.
Hall said he doted on his wife, Sharlene, and two children, Joshua, 11, and Gabby, 8.
Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond was among several who spoke about Hall at the Wednesday morning ceremony. He met Hall in 1998 when they began the Birmingham Police Academy together.
“When I describe Willie, I think of one word, which is ‘servant,’’' Thurmond said. “Willie was someone who walked softly but carried a big stick. I never saw Willie get upset or unhappy. He always had a positive attitude and was willing to help anyone.”
Hall’s wife, Sharlene, a civilian employee at the Birmingham Police Department, also spoke Wednesday. She said her husband would “give his last,” to help others and doted on his family.
“He was always present for his wife, present for his kids, present for his family,’’ she said. “We were just blessed to have him.”
“We miss him,’’ she said. “We miss everything about him, but I know his death wasn’t in vain.”
“If there’s anything he wanted us to take from all of this,’’ Sharlene said, “I know he would said, ‘Shar, tell them I did my best and that I have no regrets and tell them I love them.’ I know he would say that.”
Risner, 40, died a day after he was critically injured in a shootout with a murder suspect in Muscle Shoals.
The suspect had shot the passenger of a vehicle he was riding in and pushed him out of the vehicle in the 800 block of Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals. The man then stole another vehicle and drove into the city of Sheffield.
The vehicle was spotted by members of the Sheffield Police Department and pursued back into Muscle Shoals. Risner used his patrol car to block the suspect’s vehicle after it drove into a Walmart parking lot.
The man opened fire on officers, wounding Risner and another Sheffield officer. The suspect was also wounded and later charged with capital murder.
Risner was a U.S. Army Reserve veteran and had served with the Sheffield Police Department for eight years.
Pelham Officer Gomez, 39, died eight days after contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
He had served with the Pelham Police Department for 11 years and had previously served with the Albertville Police Department for four years. He is survived by his wife, daughter, and son.
Prior to his law enforcement career, Gomez was in the U.S. Army for eight years. During his service to our country, he was awarded many commendations, including the Army Commendation Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
Selma Officer Moorer, 25, was shot and killed in an ambush while stopping at his apartment for his meal break at about 4 a.m.
He was approached by the suspect who then opened fire on him outside of the building in the Selma Square Apartments. Moorer was killed, and girlfriend injured.
A suspect is charged with capital murder.
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