On the morning of December 19, 1987, Ozark, Alabama suffered a sudden attack that killed two police officers responding to a domestic disturbance. John Drew Seifert, 57, a 12-year veteran of the force, was one of the officers shot when he and his partner arrived at a duplex where a 25-year-old man, Randy Crittenden, had barricaded himself and opened fire. A neighbor had already been shot and injured before the officers’ arrival.

State troopers and Alabama Army National Guard personnel surrounded the home and tried for hours to make contact, but received no response. When law enforcement entered at 12:45 p.m., they found Crittenden dead from a self-inflicted wound, having used Officer Seifert’s service weapon. The motive for the initial domestic dispute and the shootings was never fully determined. Officer Seifert was survived by his wife and children.

Does anyone have memories of Officer Seifert, details about the December 19 response, or information that could shed light on what began the disturbance?