A 72-year-old man with Alzheimers has been shot dead after he was wandering through a neighborhood and rang the doorbell of a homeowner in the middle of the night.
Joe Hendricks got a strange greeting at his door at 4 AM when a lost and confused man named Ronald Westbrook appeared, trying to get into the house by turning the doorknob.
According to NewsChannel 9, Hendricks shot him after his attempts to get into the house, not knowing who the man with Alzheimers was.
The site reports:
The sheriff said Hendricks heard a suspicious sound outside the house and called 911. He then went out to investigate and fired his gun, killing Westbrook.
Hendricks told authorities Westbrook rang the doorbell and attempted to turn the doorknob several times before the shooting.
Hendricks made a second 911 phone call ten minutes after the first call to report the shooting. When officers got to the home they found Westbrook dead in the yard.
Walker County District Attorney Buzz Franklin arrived at the home around 9:30 a.m.
We pray for the family of Ronald Westbrook during this tragic time.
SOURCE: NewsChannel 9 | PHOTO CREDIT: NewsChannel 9 Screenshot
