A shopping cart mishap inside an Alabama Walmart escalated into a fatal shooting in a nearby parking lot, leaving a father dead and an 18-year-old facing murder charges. The incident began when Stephen Morrow accidentally bumped into a teenager with his shopping cart while inside the Walmart in Sumiton.

Confrontation and Shooting

Following the altercation, Morrow called the Sumiton Police Department and continued shopping with his wife, Kayla. However, the situation took a turn for the worse when 18-year-old Timothy Braden Crawford, who was involved in the initial dispute, followed the Morrows outside and allegedly shot Morrow in the parking lot.

Morrow died from his injuries in front of his wife. In a later Facebook post, Kayla Morrow shared her husband’s final moments, writing that he told her, “Kayla, I’m dying and I love you.”

Investigation and Arrest

Crawford fled the scene in his truck after the shooting but was later tracked down by law enforcement to his parents’ residence, where he turned himself in. The Sumiton Police Department released a statement confirming the arrest and charging Crawford with murder.

During the investigation, Crawford initially attempted to claim self-defense, alleging that Morrow had used his vehicle to try and run Crawford off the road. However, video evidence contradicted this claim, and Crawford allegedly admitted to police that he followed Morrow after the initial dispute.

Crawford’s defense attorney presented a different version of events, arguing that Morrow had smashed the passenger-side window of Crawford’s truck and tried to get inside the vehicle. Crawford’s parents also testified that their son has dyslexia and is on the autism spectrum, which they said leaves him lacking the mental maturity of other people his age.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.