Additional Coverage:
- Walmart shopper shot dead in front of shocked wife after ‘accidentally bumping into teen with shopping cart’ (themirror.com)
On June 3, tragedy struck at a Walmart shopping center in Sumiton, Alabama, when 46-year-old Stephen Justus Morrow was fatally shot in front of his wife, Kayla.
The incident began when Morrow accidentally bumped into 18-year-old Timothy Braden Crawford with a shopping cart. What started as a minor accident quickly escalated into a verbal confrontation, according to investigators who spoke at a recent hearing.
Assistant Police Chief Scott Lawler reported that Stephen promptly called 911 from outside the store, and a Walmart employee stayed with the couple as they waited for police to arrive.
Despite the initial call, the couple resumed shopping and exited the store through a different door. However, Crawford followed them, prompting Stephen to reach out to police again, expressing fear for his safety and a desire to keep Crawford from knowing where he lived.
The situation intensified in a nearby parking lot, where Crawford shot Morrow. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but Crawford fled before officers could detain him.
Stephen Morrow was transported to the University of Alabama Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. In his final moments, he reportedly told his wife, “Kayla, I’m dying and I love you.”
Authorities later located Crawford’s vehicle in Dora, Alabama, discovering a 9 mm handgun inside. Investigators also collected evidence at the crime scene, including a shell casing, a bloody handprint, and a blood-stained towel.
During questioning, Crawford claimed Morrow had tried to run him off the road, but video footage contradicted this assertion. Crawford also admitted to following the couple out of the store.
At the hearing, Judge Henry Allred heard from Crawford’s father, Timothy Scott Crawford, who revealed that his son has dyslexia and is on the autism spectrum, describing him as “lacking the mental maturity” of his peers.
Judge Allred set a $250,000 cash-only bond for Crawford, allowing him to avoid jail while awaiting trial under strict conditions: house arrest, no social media use, and no contact with friends present during the incident. A court date has yet to be scheduled.
In the wake of the shooting, Kayla Morrow shared a heartfelt message on social media, expressing her grief and shock. “I don’t know how to feel; what to think; anything in general,” she wrote.
“I’m completely numb. I’ve been awake for almost 40 hours.
Every time I close my eyes, all I can see is the scene happening.”
The community continues to grapple with the devastating loss as the legal process unfolds.