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The Deadliest Mass Shooting in Alabama History Happened in My Backyard
From family annihilator to mass murderer, Michael McLendon appeared to have no motive.
I would say that March 10, 2009, began as a normal shift, but there is no such thing as a “normal” shift working in a 9–1–1 center.
The words “shooting” and “multiple victims” are what first captured our attention.
We then realized that the incident was happening in a neighboring county and immediately alerted our patrol supervisors.
We tuned in to the channel that law enforcement agencies around the area used to communicate with each other called StateNet. StateNet was typically more static than transmissions, but that afternoon, the channel went into overdrive.
We listened intently for the next 30 minutes until we heard “suspect’s down, scene is clear.” We thought the whole thing was over, but for the law enforcement agencies in Geneva and Coffee Counties in southeastern Alabama, their job was really just beginning.
They Thought It Was Just a House Fire
We don’t know many victims police were aware of when they first engaged with the suspect, but it soon became evident that those shot to death from his…
