Alabama father shot dead near Walmart after a confrontation with a teen

An Alabama father has been fatally shot following a confrontation that investigators say was set in motion inside a Walmart. Stephen Justus "Fro" Morrow, 46, was identified by WBRC and AL.com as the victim of the 3 June shooting near the retail store in Sumiton. Timothy Braden Crawford, 18, was subsequently arrested and charged with murder in connection with the incident, as announced by the Sumiton Police Department.

Bond hearing and conditions of release

At a bond hearing on Tuesday, 9 June, a Walker County judge granted Crawford a $250,000 cash-only bond, alongside a series of strict conditions should he be released whilst awaiting trial. According to WBRC, those conditions include remaining under home confinement, refraining from possessing any firearms, and having no contact whatsoever with Morrow's family.

'I'm dying and I love you'

In the days since Morrow's death, a GoFundMe campaign has been established to support his family. His widow, Kayla Morrow, shared her grief in a Facebook post, revealing that her husband's final words to her were, "Kayla, I'm dying and I love you."

"Every time I close my eyes all I can see is the scene happening," she wrote. "This is the hardest thing I have ever had to witness."

The fundraiser states that donations will go towards covering funeral costs, daily living expenses, and securing the future of the couple's son, Eli.

"Eli took it really hard," Kayla wrote in a separate Facebook post. "He's doing okay at the moment. Seeing his little face wrecked me."

How the confrontation unfolded

New details about the sequence of events came to light during Tuesday's court hearing. Investigators testified that the encounter originated inside the Walmart when Morrow accidentally knocked into a teenager with a shopping trolley, sparking a verbal altercation that drew in Crawford, according to WBRC and AL.com.

Testimony heard at the hearing indicated that Morrow subsequently left the store with his wife, at which point Crawford allegedly followed the couple as they departed. The confrontation reportedly continued until it reached the car park of a nearby Mexican restaurant.

There, according to investigators' testimony reported by the outlets, Morrow allegedly approached Crawford's truck and broke the passenger-side window before reaching through it into the vehicle. Crawford then allegedly shot Morrow in the chest.

Defence attorneys argued during the hearing that Crawford had acted in self-defence following Morrow's actions at the vehicle. However, investigators' testimony noted that approximately 29 minutes had passed between the initial confrontation inside the store and the fatal shot being fired.

Death and funeral

Morrow was transported to UAB Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the Sumiton Police Department. His funeral took place on Monday, AL.com reported. The investigation into the case remains ongoing.