McKenzie man hospitalized after old-west style shoot out

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, December 15, 1999

A McKenzie man was hospitalized after sustaining wounds during a shoot-out with another man last week.

Officials with the Butler County Sheriff's Office responded to the home of Jerry Booker on Booker Road in McKenzie last Thursday evening when they received a call from residents saying they heard gunshots being fired between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m.

Christopher Bradley Bush, a 25 year-old male of McKenzie, had allegedly gone to Booker's residence that evening for an unknown reason. Chief Deputy Kenny Harden said that at some point the visit turned into an old-west-style gunfight.

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"We found evidence of shots being fired from both the inside and outside of the house," Harden said. "There was evidence of one shot that went through a storm door of the residence and also proof of shots that were fired from inside the house."

Booker sustained two wounds, once in the leg and another in the buttocks. When deputies arrived on the scene he was transported to the Georgiana hospital for treatment. He has since been transported to the University of South of Alabama Hospital in Mobile where he was last reported to be in stable condition.

Bush had fled the scene of the crime before deputies arrived. However, he did turn himself in at the Sheriff's Office at approximately 3:30 a.m. the following morning. He was arrested and charged with assault, first degree and shooting into an occupied dwelling. He has since been released on a $40,000 bond.

Harden said that it is still unclear why Bush went to Booker's home but that they hope to clear up the matter soon.

"We are continuing to investigate the matter. We intend to talk to people this week who can help us in the investigation.