Kimberly Police Officer Dies After Shooting On I-65

JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL — An officer with the Kimberly Police Department has died after a shooting on Interstate 65 Tuesday night. A report from the Alabama Attorney General's Office said the officer, Nick O’Rear, died at UAB Hospital.

"Another officer has lost his life in the line of duty," said Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall in a statement Tuesday night. "The Kimberly Police Department will release more information at 1:00 p.m. Please pray for his family—including a son and a daughter—and his fellow officers."

Preston Cheyenne Johnson, 37, has been charged with capital murder. The incident occurred around 10 p.m. Tuesday, when O'Rear reportedly pursued Johnson on I-65 in Jefferson County. Shots were fired during the pursuit, and O'Rear was struck. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead just before midnight.

Johnson and three other people were taken into custody near Highway 78 in Dora after 1 a.m. Wednesday.

U.S. Attorney Jay Town, who has been one of the more vocal officials in recent months regarding violence against police officers, issued a statement Wednesday afternoon.

“Kimberly PD Officer Nick O’Rear’s end of watch has come to soon," Town said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fellow officers. This tragedy is yet another heartbreaking reminder of the dangers all law enforcement face while we enjoy the safety they provide us. We must ask ourselves how we can all join together to bridge the respect deficit for law enforcement that is directly and indirectly leading to violence against our brave men and women of the badge. Enough is enough.”