FORESTDALE, AL. (THECOUNT) — Henry Louis Wright Jr., 49, of Fairfield, Alabama, has been identified as the man who died Tuesday morning after allegedly shooting himself during a law enforcement pursuit in Forestdale, Jefferson County, in the Birmingham metropolitan area.
The incident began at approximately 9:30 a.m. when the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force attempted to take Wright into custody. According to authorities, Wright had failed to appear in court in July on charges of first-degree rape and first-degree kidnapping.
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The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office reported Wednesday that Wright was pronounced dead at approximately 9:50 a.m. Tuesday in the 600 block of Kenwood Drive in Forestdale. The coroner’s office said Wright suffered a fatal self-inflicted injury at approximately 9:34 a.m.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said it assisted the U.S. Marshals Service during a vehicle pursuit involving Wright. According to the sheriff’s office, Wright allegedly fired shots at law enforcement officers while fleeing from authorities.
The pursuit ended after Wright crashed his vehicle near the intersection of Haven Drive and Oak Ridge Drive. Wright then reportedly fled from the wreck on foot, prompting members of the fugitive task force to pursue him through the area.
During the foot pursuit, task force members heard gunshots. Officers subsequently located Wright lying on the ground. Authorities reported that no law enforcement officers fired their weapons during the incident.
Two law enforcement officers suffered minor injuries during the foot pursuit, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. The agency began investigating the circumstances surrounding Wright’s death, including the pursuit, the reported gunfire and the events leading to the fatal injury.
Wright was wanted on first-degree rape and first-degree kidnapping charges. The charges were criminal allegations, and the available information does not establish that Wright was convicted of either offense.
According to court records cited in the reporting, Wright was initially arrested on the charges in 1996 and was indicted in 2025 in the Bessemer Cutoff. The reason for the lengthy gap between the initial arrest and the later indictment was not immediately clear.
The case history involves the Bessemer Cutoff judicial area of Jefferson County. Additional court records or statements from officials may provide further information about the timeline of the charges and the circumstances surrounding the indictment.
The sheriff’s office did not report that any officers discharged their firearms during the pursuit. The investigation remained ongoing as authorities worked to establish the complete sequence of events that preceded Wright’s death.
Forestdale is a community in Jefferson County, northwest of Birmingham, Alabama. The reported shooting occurred near Kenwood Drive, while the vehicle crash was reported near Haven Drive and Oak Ridge Drive.
Google Maps: Approximate location of the fatal incident in Forestdale, Alabama
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