Man who fatally shot deputy had mental-health problems

FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The shootout that left one Alabama sheriff’s deputy dead and another in critical condition Saturday began when they checked on a man at his mobile home and he opened fire on them, authorities said.

Baldwin County Sheriff Huey Mack told AL.com that gunfire broke out Friday after Michael Jansen pulled a handgun on Deputy Scott Ward and his colleagues outside of Jansen’s Fairhope-area home.

Ward was fatally wounded after responding about 4 p.m. with two other deputies to a family disturbance call. Deputies returned fire, killing Jansen.

Ward, 47, was transported by helicopter to University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile, where he was pronounced dead. The second deputy remained in critical condition Saturday afternoon. The third deputy was not hurt.

Jansen, 53, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mack told The Press-Register newspaper of Mobile that deputies had responded several times to deal with issues arising from Jansen’s mental health. Court records show that his mother moved to have him committed in 2009 and in 2010, and that a probate judge agreed to send him to a state hospital twice in 2010.

The newspaper reported that Jansen’s mother had called 911 on Friday to report that he was agitated.

A sheriff’s office spokesman said Jansen was home alone when deputies arrived.

The county’s Major Crimes Task Force was investigating the shooting, as was the department’s internal affairs office, which is standard procedure when any officer is involved in a shooting.

Mack said the initial inquiry suggested deputies followed procedure.