Hoover officers fired their weapons twice in two years
State investigators, not Hoover police, handled both incidents in which Hoover officers discharged their weapons in 2025 and 2026. Only one produced a death caused by an officer.
Where it stands
Not fixed
Hits residents
6/10
Years covered
2025–2026
Sources
3 linked
- 2
- Incidents in which Hoover officers fired their weapons, 2025-2026
- 1
- Death in these incidents caused by an officer’s shot
As of 2026-02
As of 2025-02
What happened
In February 2025, Hoover and Alabaster officers pursuing a domestic-violence suspect fired their weapons after a crash on I-459 near exit 13; Christopher Grant Hulgan, 44, was pronounced dead at the scene, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation took over the inquiry. In February 2026, Hoover officers responded to a report of a mentally disturbed person in the Southlake Estates neighborhood. A 38-year-old man, Asa Redd Griggs, drew a handgun and shot his father, Glenn Adrian Griggs, 71, who died at the scene, and also shot and wounded a Hoover officer. Officers returned fire and wounded Griggs, who was later charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder. ALEA investigated the 2026 incident because Hoover officers had discharged their weapons, even though the person who died was killed by a family member rather than by police. Hoover routinely refers officer-involved shootings to the state rather than investigating them internally.
Timeline
Alabaster and Hoover officers fired after a pursuit crash on I-459; Christopher Grant Hulgan, 44, died at the scene.
WIAT CBS 42 via Yahoo News (yahoo.com) ↗A Hoover officer was shot in Southlake Estates; officers wounded suspect Asa Redd Griggs, whose father Glenn Adrian Griggs, 71, died at the scene.
WBRC (wbrc.com) ↗Charges against Asa Redd Griggs were upgraded to murder and two counts of attempted murder.
ABC 33/40 (abc3340.com) ↗
Who's involved
Hoover Police Department
Officers discharged weapons in both incidents
ALEA State Bureau of Investigation
Took over both inquiries
Chief Clay Morris
Hoover police chief from November 2025
The other side
Hoover’s practice of referring officer-involved shootings to ALEA removes the department from investigating itself. Chief Morris publicly described the 2026 incident the same week it occurred.
Open questions
- ALEA’s findings in the 2025 Hulgan case have not been published in any source reviewed.
- Whether any officer was disciplined or cleared in either incident is unreported.
- Whether body-camera footage was released or requested in either incident is unreported.
Sources (3)
- 1Suspect shot, killed by police following I-459 pursuitWIAT CBS 42 via Yahoo News · Feb 5, 2025 · yahoo.com
- 21 Hoover police officer injured, 1 man dead after officer-involved shooting near Southlake EstatesWBRC · Feb 8, 2026 · wbrc.com
- 3Charges upgraded in Hoover shooting that left one dead, officer injuredABC 33/40 · Feb 17, 2026 · abc3340.com
Last checked July 29, 2026