Category: Press Releases

(DOTHAN, Ala.)  On October 12, 2025, just before 4:00 pm, the Dothan Police Department, along with several other agencies, responded to reports of active gunfire at Wiregrass Commons Mall.  As officers were responding, the call was upgraded to a person suffering a gunshot wound.  When officers arrived on scene, they immediately began giving medical treatment to the person struck by gunfire.  Once the scene was clear, Dothan Fire Department paramedics transported the person shot to a local hospital for treatment.  The person who was shot is in critical condition.

During the investigation, it was discovered that a male individual was inside the Not Just Cuts barber shop inside Wiregrass Commons Mall.  As the individual was getting a haircut, three individuals entered the business.  One of the three individuals, Korion Michael Salter (20) of Dothan, began making threats and displayed a firearm.  The individual in the barber shop responded by pulling his firearm and a shootout ensued from both individuals.  During the gunfire, Salter was struck by multiple bullets fired from the individual in the barbershop.  A second suspect, Sharier AlQuan Caesar (25) of Greenville, North Carolina, also fired rounds at the individual in the barbershop.

After the shooting, the individual that was originally in the barbershop hid in a back room and waited for police to arrive.  This person has been cooperating with the investigation.  As a result of this incident, Sharief Caesar has been charged with Attempted Murder and Shooting into an Occupied Building.  Caesar is currently being sought by the Dothan Police Department.  Additional charges are possible on Caesar.  In the event Salter recovers, it is possible he could be charged as well.

When the shooting happened, the officers and investigators involved in the case made a commitment to each other and the community.  That commitment was to find those responsible and get them off the streets of the City of Dothan.  This type of violence will not be tolerated, and we will work with the Houston County District Attorney’s Office to prosecute these individuals to the fullest extent allowed by law.  It is time for the violence to stop.  We encourage everyone to debate with words, not bullets.  Disagree verbally, not violently.  The impact of this incident cannot be estimated in just those who received physical injuries but mental injuries as well.  When the community refuses to stand silent on these acts of violence, we only get stronger as a community and as a city.  We are committed to continuing our partnership with the community to combat acts of violence like this.

-Chief William E. Benny

(DOTHAN, Ala.) On October 12, 2025, just before 4:00 pm, the Dothan Police Communications Center received reports of active gunfire in the Wiregrass Commons Mall.  According to reports, it was at the end of the mall closest to the Spirit Halloween store.  Before officers could arrive, there were reports someone had been shot in the upper body at least once.  When officers arrived on scene, they began providing medical treatment to the person shot.  The person shot, a male, was transported to a local hospital for treatment with no information on his current condition.

As more officers arrived on the scene, the Communications Center was receiving calls from several employees in the mall who were sheltering in place in their stores.  A list of locations was gathered, and teams of law enforcement officers began clearing the mall to assist those sheltering in place.  Officers conducted three separate searches due to the size of the mall.  They were able to confirm that no suspects remained inside, and all employees were able to make it out safely.

Once everyone was evacuated from the mall, criminal investigators and crime scene technicians began their processing of the crime scene.  It was confirmed quickly this was an altercation between individuals stemming from past incidents who began shooting.  An individual was in a barber shop when multiple people came into the shop.  There were comments made threatening violence to the person getting a haircut.  There were more threats when firearms were retrieved.  The person getting a haircut was also armed.

After several rounds were fired in both directions, one person was struck with gunfire.  The male was one of the people who entered the barbershop making threats.  No one else involved in the shooting or any bystanders were struck by the gunfire.  Investigators continue to actively investigate this case and will aggressively follow any and all leads to identify any other individuals that were present.

Any time someone is injured by gunfire is a concerning incident.  However, the place where this shooting took place was especially concerning.  Citizens expect to be safe at places in and around the City of Dothan while shopping with their families.  The Dothan Police Department will find those responsible for this chaos and hold them accountable.  We want to be clear.  There is no measure to how fast we will hold you accountable or how severe the consequences will be for committing acts of violence in this city.  This is an ongoing investigation, and we will update the public with information as it is available.

(DOTHAN, Ala.)  On September 24, 2025, just after 1:00 am, Dothan Police officers responded to the 1200 block of South Park Avenue for a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle.  When they arrived, officers found the female victim in the roadway.  The victim, identified as Fatimah Ali Borders (45) of Dothan, was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the preliminary investigation, a SUV was driving on South Park Avenue when Borders entered the roadway.  Borders was struck by the vehicle.  The driver of the vehicle stopped their vehicle and remained on scene until police arrived.  The driver fully cooperated with the investigation.  No further information is available as this is an ongoing investigation.  No charges are expected at this time.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Fatimah Borders as they grieve in this difficult time.

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(DOTHAN, Ala.)  On September 10, 2025, just after 10:30 am, the Dothan Communications Center received a call from a man in the 400 block of East Cottonwood Road claiming a large number of federal agents were surrounding him and requesting assistance.  When officers arrived on the scene, they made contact with the suspect who was clearly suffering from a mental health crisis.  In early conversations, the suspect claimed he had explosives that were active, which was verified by officers on scene.  The Special Response Team, Crisis Negotiation Team, and the Bomb Squad all were called to the scene.

A crisis negotiator made contact to begin negotiations with the suspect.  After a period of time, the suspect came outside the home and was apprehended using a bean-bag shotgun.  As the suspect was taken into custody, one of the homemade explosive devices, a makeshift grenade, was found close to where the suspect fell.  Officers immediately evacuated the area and got the suspect to a safe location.  Members of the Bomb Team secured the explosive device.  Statements made by the suspect led the Bomb Team to perform a safety sweep of the suspect’s residence, after a search warrant was signed, to make the scene safe from any other explosive devices.  No more explosive devices were discovered.  The suspect was taken to a local hospital for mental evaluation and was admitted for treatment.  Criminal charges are expected.

No businesses in the area were close enough to be in danger from the explosive devices.  Dothan Prep Academy and a close-by daycare were placed on lockdown out of an abundance of caution because of the high level of police presence.  The safety of our citizens is the utmost importance.  The decision to evacuate residents or have them shelter in place comes after consultation with certified explosives technicians on our Bomb Team trained in blast radius estimation.  We want to thank all the residents in the area for their cooperation while the incident unfolded.  We are thankful there were no serious injuries to officers or residents in the area.

-Chief William E. Benny

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(DOTHAN, Ala.)  On August 3, 2025, just after 6:30 pm, Dothan Police responded to an apartment complex in the 2800 block of Fortner Street for reports of a shooting.  When officers arrived on scene, they found two male patients suffering gunshot wounds inside an apartment.  One male patient was shot at least once in the lower leg.  The other male was shot in the upper torso.  Both individuals were transported to local hospitals for treatment.  Criminal investigators and crime scene technicians were called to investigate the circumstances of the shooting.

During the preliminary investigation, it was discovered the two patients, whose relationship was listed as father and son, were involved in a verbal altercation.  At some point during the domestic argument, one of the individuals pulled a firearm.  The other individual responded by pulling his own firearm and shots were fired by both subjects.  Investigators are still trying to determine who the primary aggressor was since one subject is still in the hospital unable to give a statement at this time.

One person was treated and released from the hospital.  The other subject is listed in critical condition at a local hospital.  This is an ongoing investigation.

Domestic violence is a serious issue in the community and around the country.  Everyone deserves relationships free from domestic violence.  If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, they can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or the House of Ruth at 334-793-2232.