These posts are based on our Good Guy with a Gun calendar. Today’s post is essentially the same as the calendar version.
About a quarter to midnight on a Saturday, Alabaster police were called to an altercation in progress at an interstate Shell just off I-65, next to the Whataburger.
Officers found two people there, one of whom had been shot.
The fire department came to treat him, but 45-year-old Ricardo Pastrana Perez of Columbiana died at the scene. Officers detained the other person — the shooter, apparently.
We don’t know what started it, or whether the two knew each other. The detectives had more to go on: physical evidence, witness statements, and video. Their conclusion, reached with the Shelby County District Attorney, was that this was “an act of self-defense.”
The police chief extended the department’s condolences “to all families affected by this unfortunate event.”
The case was headed to a Shelby County grand jury for a final determination.
Sources
Primary
The Alabaster Police Department posted twice on Facebook, first noting the call, then the media release.
Alabaster Police Department (Initial post)
Alabaster Police Department - media release (Media release, source of the photo below)
News
WBRC ran two articles, first from the scene, then the self-defense finding.
Alabaster Police investigating weekend homicide at gas station along Highway 31 (Scene)
Alabaster Police believe deadly shooting at gas station was ‘act of self-defense’ (Self-defense finding)
Other coverage:
Alabaster police called to gas station on Highway 31 late Saturday (WVTM 13)
Alabaster police investigating after person found shot at gas station (CBS 42)
Police say deadly shooting at Alabaster gas station believed to be self-defense (ABC 33/40)
Alabaster police respond to shooting at Shell gas station, investigation ongoing (Shelby County Reporter)
2A / Specialist Media
The Armed Citizen® Jan. 20, 2025 (American Rifleman)