Sgt. Nick Risner, 40,died on 10/2/21 from his injuries at 9:52 a.m. from being shot on 10/1/21. The chain of events began about 1:44 p.m. on 10/1/21. Sgt. Risner was shot during a firefight in Muscle Shoals. Witnesses on the scene told police they saw a truck — which was later identified as Mealback’s — driving down Avalon Avenue with two people inside who appeared to be struggling. The passenger door opened, the truck swerved and Mealback, 58, fell out onto the street where police found his body on Avalon Avenue near State Street. Mealback, 58, had a gunshot wound in the top of his head and a leather holster on his belt that was empty. Mealback had met Martin more than a decade ago. Mealback suffered from health issues that caused seizures, and Martin became his unofficial caregiver, driving him to and from doctor appointmens. About 25 minutes later, at 2:11 p.m., Muscle Shoals police got a call about a hit-and-run wreck at Woodward and Avalon avenues, a little over a quarter of a mile from where Mealback was found. Sheffield police spotted Mealback’s truck around 2:23 p.m. in Sheffield and chased the truck after Martin refused to stop. The chase ended behind Southgate Mall, east of the Walmart parking lot, when police officers trapped the truck with their vehicles. Police said Martin shot out of his door several times, hitting Sgt. Risner in his vehicle. Sheffield Police Lt. Max Dotson came around the corner of Risner’s vehicle from the passenger side, exchanging shots with Martin, police said. Dotson was hit twice in his vest. Martin was hit multiple times in the exchange. He was pulled from the vehicle and handcuffed. He was then treated on scene, taken to Helen Keller Hospital and later flown to Huntsville Hospital. After the shooting, police found a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun and a .45-caliber Ruger handgun. Police said the Smith and Wesson was bought by Mealback, and that family members told them Mealback was known to carry a .45-caliber handgun on his side and a backup 9mm in his truck. Martin had the .45 pistol on him when he was arrested, as well as a loaded 9mm magazine in his pocket. The 9mm pistol was found in the passenger floorboard with an empty magazine and chamber. Police also found one spent .45 shell casing and 17 spent 9mm shell casings inside the truck. A preliminary autopsy found that Mealback was killed by a gunshot wound to the head that went into his chest. Sgt. Nick Risner served the community of Sheffield for more than eight years and also served in the Army Reserves for eight years. Risner is survived by his wife, Brandy Risner and daughter Aili Risner.
The suspect, Brian Lansing Martin, 41, was sentenced in 2013 to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter. He was arrested in 2011 for killing his father over an owed debt in Tuscumbia. He was released from prison in May 2016. Martin is now charged with four counts of capial murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of shooting into an occupied vehicle, one count of abuse of a corpse and one count of a felon in possession of a firearm. On 4/28/22 Marten pleaded not guilty by mental defect to all counts. On 10/8/23 Martin terminated the services of his his attorneys.
