Constable Madison “Skip” Nicholson
Officer: Wilcox County Constable's Office, Constable Madison "Skip" Nicholson
Date: 12/1/2021 Location: Yellow Bluff, AL FACTORS (1,2,7,15,18,19)
Perpetrator(s) Involved: Billy Bizzell
Criminal Activity History/Involved: Unknown./ Yes, Bizzell had threatened his estranged wife’s life in a domestic dispute.
Mental Illness: Unknown.
Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown./ None stated.
Race/Sex/Age: Black/Male/52
What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At shortly before 5 p.m. on December 1, 2021, Wilcox County Constable Madison Nicholson and Wilcox County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Trenton Gulley responded to a 911 call of a woman whose estranged husband, Billy Bizzell, “threatened to kill her before leaving to go get a gun.”
Actions taken by subject toward police: Almost immediately upon the officers’ arrival at the residence, Bizzell opened fire upon them. Constable Nicholson was fatally shot in the neck and chest, and Deputy Gulley was shot in the arm but able to return fire.
Reactions by the police: Deputy Gulley returned fire and justifiably killed Bizzell. Constable Nicholson was airlifted for medical care but died of his wounds.
How murdered? Constable Nicholson was fatally shot upon responding to a domestic disturbance.
What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? Given the fact that Bizzell had warned he was retrieving a weapon, the officers would have been justified to remain behind cover and have him come outside; use shields as they went to the house; or even called out a tactical unit to assist.
Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? Since the officers were ambushed upon arrival, the Chief Deputy used justifiable deadly force as soon as Bizzell opened fire upon him, but that was too late for Constable Nicholson.
Outcome for the cop-killer: Bizzell was justifiably shot dead in the shootout.
Miscellaneous: The media shows little interest in reporting on the prior criminal/drug/mental healthy histories of cop-killers lately.
