Mobile officer shooting: Winn-Dixie employee organized robbery

MOBILE, Al.
A Winn-Dixie employee organized a robbery of the store that ended with one Mobile police officer being shot in the chest, police said today.

Collier Kirksey, 18, was at the store Friday night when two men entered, held employees hostage and demanded money from a safe, police said.

Police say that after the two men -- Jackeith Harrison and Ronald Crear -- were involved in a shootout with police, Kirksey tried to hide his involvement. He stayed with other employees as investigators questioned witnesses at the scene.

"He was acting as if he was a victim," said Ashley Rains, a Mobile police spokeswoman.

Rains said that Kirksey arranged the robbery and picked the time of 11 p.m. The store typically employs an off-duty officer for security, but Kirksey knew that the officer would be gone by then, Rains said.

Investigators say that Harrison and Crear were both armed and both fired at five Mobile police officers, who were attempting to enter the store.

Officer Chad Wynne

Officer Chad Wynne was shot in the chest and is in critical condition at University of South Alabama Medical Center.

"We're very excited to report that he continues to recover," Rains said.

Harrison, 18, was arrested at the scene and is being held in Mobile County Metro Jail with no bail.

Crear, 21, was shot when police returned fire and is being treated at USA Medical Center, according to investigators.

Rains added that Wynne was not wearing a protective vest that night because he was working an off-duty job in the area.

She declined to discuss the Police Department's policy on officers wearing vests, citing officer safety.