Internal Review Findings

Published on January 22, 2021

The Huntsville Police Department recently convened a two-day Incident Review Board regarding an officer involved shooting on November 16. This board is chaired by Huntsville Police Captains and attended by Lawyers from the City Legal Department, the District Attorney’s office and members of the Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Board. The function of the IRB is to review the actions of HPD personnel after a shooting or any incident involving use of force where serious injury or death results. Regarding this incident, the IRB determined that the use of force by HPD officers was within departmental policy.

The incident involved a call where officers were dispatched just after 9:30 p.m. regarding a possible gunman on the roof of a business located at 212 Andrew Jackson Way. Some of the evidence reviewed included physical evidence from the scene, camera footage from the officers’ body worn or In-car cameras, and dispatch recordings. When officers arrived, they observed an armed individual, later identified as Brad Pugh.  Officers secured the area by evacuating nearby residents and blocking several roads to prevent others from entering the zone of danger. HPD notified media of the ongoing situation.

The HPD Crisis Negotiation Response and SWAT teams responded.  After several hours of negotiation, Mr. Pugh brandished his weapon towards the officers, and he was fatally wounded.

The District Attorney’s office conducted its own independent review, the results of which were released earlier this week.