Man charged with attempted murder after Tuscaloosa mental health officer’s gun fired during a struggle

A man has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly gaining control of a Tuscaloosa mental health officer’s gun, which was fired during a struggle late Monday morning, authorities said.

Cedric Leon Tinker, 44, was reported to Tuscaloosa police by his family, who alleged Tinker had “experienced some form of mental health issues” several times in recent days, said Capt. John Kennedy of the Tuscaloosa County Violent Crimes Unit.

Tuscaloosa police dispatched mental health officers to the 3600 block of Stillman Boulevard around 10:45 a.m. Monday, Kennedy said.

Police decided to transport Tinker to a hospital for examination after meeting with his family and social workers, interviewing Tinker and reviewing the past week’s incidents.

Tinker refused and became aggressive; he physically resisted arrest by assaulting several officers and threatening them, Kennedy said.

As officers struggled to restrain Tinker on the ground, the suspect allegedly removed one of the officer’s weapons and took control of it.

During the struggle, Kennedy said, the weapon was fired once, but no one was hit by gunfire.

Several officers were eventually able to retrieve the weapon and take Tinker into custody.

The Violent Crimes Unit was then called to investigate the incident, which led to Tinker being charged with attempted murder, disarming a law enforcement officer and second-degree assault.

Tinker is being held in the Tuscaloosa County Jail without bond.