A tragic and complex incident unfolded in Shelby County, Alabama, on Tuesday morning, resulting in the deaths of a father and son following a tense standoff with law enforcement. The situation, which began as an attempt to serve a mental health pickup order, escalated into a hours-long confrontation that ended in heartbreak for the community.
The incident occurred in The Narrows area near Chelsea, where deputies arrived at a residence on Narrows Drive off Highway 280 around 8 a.m. to serve a mental health pickup order on 74-year-old William Chenoweth Sr. According to Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego, deputies repeatedly knocked and announced their presence but received no response. After failed attempts to make contact, the entry team breached the door and broke a window to create a distraction.
At that moment, Chenoweth’s 48-year-old son, William Chenoweth Jr., began firing at deputies from inside the home. Law enforcement returned fire, visibly striking him. The situation quickly escalated, prompting the deployment of a SWAT team and negotiators. Authorities issued a community alert, urging neighbors to shelter in place and blocking off nearby roads.
Despite extensive negotiation efforts, Chenoweth Jr. remained unresponsive. Drones were deployed to monitor the home, initially spotting him sitting motionless in a recliner. After several hours with no movement or communication, deputies launched gas canisters into the home around 11:30 a.m. in an attempt to force the men outside. However, neither emerged.
Further drone surveillance revealed Chenoweth Jr. lying unresponsive on a bed. His father, the subject of the mental health order, had not yet been located. A flashbang device was deployed in the bedroom, but Chenoweth Jr. still did not respond. Concerned for the safety and urgency of the situation, the entry team re-entered the home.
Inside, deputies discovered Chenoweth Jr. deceased. His father’s body was found in a bathtub, where authorities believe he had been for several months. Sheriff Samaniego stated there were no signs of foul play in William Chenoweth Sr.’s death.
The Alabama State Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the exchange of gunfire between Chenoweth Jr. and deputies, while the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office will conduct its own investigation. Sheriff Samaniego revealed that the situation had been developing for two months, as law enforcement attempted to serve both the mental health order and an eviction order, which had been described as “volatile.”
Multiple agencies, including the Alabaster and Pelham police departments and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, assisted at the scene. As the community grapples with the tragic outcome, authorities continue their investigation into the incident, emphasizing the complexities and dangers faced by law enforcement in such high-stakes situations.