A prominent Alabama judge, Johnny Hardwick, was seriously injured on Saturday when his son, Khalfani Hardwick, allegedly shot him during a domestic dispute, according to local law enforcement. The incident occurred in the judge’s Montgomery home shortly after 1 p.m., as reported by the county sheriff’s office.
The circumstances that led to the violent confrontation remain unclear. However, authorities quickly identified Khalfani Hardwick, a man with a criminal past, as the suspected shooter. Khalfani had previously avoided prison time for a murder committed a decade ago.
According to Assistant Chief Wesley Richerson, “Judge Hardwick was involved in a domestic incident with his son and suffered serious injuries from a gunshot wound.” Following the alleged shooting, Khalfani, 36, fled the scene in a truck, which he later abandoned near a local fire department, approximately five miles from the scene of the crime.
Law enforcement located Khalfani less than an hour later, just a mile away from the abandoned vehicle. He was taken into custody as a suspect in the shooting, although formal charges have yet to be filed.
Judge Hardwick underwent surgery and is currently receiving treatment for his serious injuries, Richerson confirmed. The specifics of the altercation, including the number of shots fired, have not been disclosed by the police.
Khalfani Hardwick has a documented history of violence. In 2014, he confessed to fatally shooting Clayton Riley in the head, a crime for which he served no prison time after his attempted murder charge was reduced to second-degree assault.
Judge Hardwick has been a member of the 15th Judicial Circuit since 2001 and was appointed president of the Alabama Association of Circuit Court Judges in August of last year.