Suspect dead, child unharmed after multi-state pursuit following domestic incident
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East Alabama and West Georgia law enforcement officials are investigating a domestic incident turned into a multi-state pursuit leaving the suspect dead and the child inside unharmed.
The incident began around 12:20 p.m. central standard time on January 9, 2026, when officers responded to a domestic violence call on Andrews Road, where a mother expressed concern for the safety of her child after she was assaulted by the child’s father.
Police say the father, identified as 39-year-old Justin Scott Roberts, had taken the child and fled in his vehicle. Officers located the black Nissan Titan truck in the area and attempted a traffic stop. Roberts refused to stop, leading officers on a pursuit through Opelika.
Roberts was wanted for felony assault on a police officer, stemming from a previous incident, and due to the presence of a juvenile in the vehicle and concerns for their immediate safety, officers continued the pursuit onto I-85 North.
The pursuit continued across the state line into Georgia, at which time Opelika Police Officers discontinued their pursuit, and Alabama and Georgia law enforcement agencies continued the pursuit along I-85 North.
The pursuit came to an abrupt end when around 1:20 p.m. central standard time, when Georgia State Troopers successfully executed a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle on Hamilton Road near Interstate 85. Before law enforcement could approach the driver, he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Deputies were able to safely remove the child from the vehicle. The child appears unharmed but is being evaluated as a precaution, according to police.
An active law enforcement presence remains ongoing on Hamilton Road, as law enforcement investigate.
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