GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) — The Gulf Shores Police Department says it took just 26 seconds for officers to stop and arrest the man accused of shooting and injuring one person at Gulf Place Monday night.
Police said Rafiq Bradley fired at least half a dozen shots. He is charged with attempted murder, shooting into an occupied dwelling, disorderly conduct and reckless endangerment.
Police said a group of adults and teenagers were fighting right before the shooting.
Lieutenant Nate Harris says officers were able to move in quickly because the department had already added extra officers for Spring Break.
“That extra presence does help us work a lot of stuff,” said Harris. “We cannot be in every place 100% of the time but I think that additional manpower is effective, and it showed last night.”
One spring breaker watched the shooting from his condo window and says he was amazed how quickly it ended.
Ethan Haeglean, visiting from Chicago, said he had never seen something like that right in front of him.
“After a few minutes, I looked out the window, and all I saw was two guys pinned to the ground right there,” Hagelean said.
Visitors and locals WKRG News 5 spoke with say they never expected something like this in a small beach town.
Jordan Bendley, visiting from Birmingham, says he’s been to Gulf Shores multiple times and this is something that just doesn’t happen.
“Me and my family come down here pretty often and for spring break and stuff and we have never seen anything like this happen, ever,” Bendley said.
Devin Moultrie is a Gulf Shores local and also says that he cannot believe something like this happened in his hometown.
“You never hear anything about it, like I have never seen a shooting here, that was the first time” Moultrie said.
Even though extra officers are already on patrol because of Spring Break, the Gulf Shores Police Department plans to add even more because of Monday’s shooting.