Who is Officer Marquette

Mac was born and raised in small-town America. He comes from a small family as well. His younger years were spent like most children, spending endless hours outside being a typical kid. You can see characteristics in a child that begin to develop  at a young age, sometimes they are even suppressed or held back. Mac’s leadership character began to grow during his younger years. Mac navigated through the teenage years to much avail and as graduation approached, Mac decided to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. Throughout the next years, more of a leadership trait started to emerge in his personality. Growing up in church, he went on multiple mission trips across the Southeast serving some of the least among us. This set the tone for his ultimate calling as a Police Officer, but at that time no one yet realized it.

As he grew from one stage of life to the next, Mac’s parents tried to shield him from the dark truth of this world while teaching him and his sister the difference between good and bad, right and wrong, and the consequences of your actions, but, there are some things that you can't hide from them. Like a lot of Americans, the Marquette family has been affected by drugs. During Mac’s childhood, his father tried his best to keep him and his sister from seeing the devastation and negative impact that drugs had on their family. This is when the cultivation of all the elements began to lead Mac to become a Police Officer. In 2019, Mac’s aunt, who had been involved in drugs her whole life got arrested. Although his parents had removed involvement with her for most of his life, the savage way drugs impacted their family could not be hidden no matter how hard they tried to shield their children from the effects. That summer of 2019, after seeing the way drugs ripped apart and divided their family Mac decided to change his future path from an engineering degree to a criminal justice degree. Mac wanted to become a Police Officer, with one goal to “Help People”. When the coronavirus hit and college went online, Mac decided he wanted to go ahead and go to work.  So his journey into law enforcement began.

Mac decided to apply to the Decatur Police Department. Through the vetting process, Mac turned into that leader God had put inside of him so many years ago. It took 6 months to go through the hiring process. At the end of that process, the command staff ranks the recruits. Chief Nate Allen along with other command staff ranked Mac #1 in his class. Mac was now a Police Officer. He could now start “helping people”. In his time as an officer, he talked a lot about his work. He speaks of the overwhelming amount of drug overdoses that he has seen and how drugs are ravaging the city of Decatur. He talked about being able to make a real difference in someone's life by being true to your character and being above reproach. Mac, being an example of the change that you want to see among your peers and those around you, has made amazing strides in the department in the 4 years that he has been employed. Mac was awarded Officer of the Month, Medal of Commendation, and other accolades. Mac’s true passion was being able to serve people.

On the evening of September 28th, 2023, Mac began getting ready to start his shift like he would any other night. As Mac started his shift he began answering calls and serving the citizens of Decatur. As the night went on, it was just like any other. In the early morning hours of September 29th, 2023, a call came over the radio that would change Mac’s life forever. 

Mac was dispatched as backup to assist another officer. This officer had been dispatched to a call for service where it was reported that a man had threatened a tow truck driver with a firearm. The primary officer was asked by the tow truck driver if officers would go back over to the residence where the first altercation took place in order to keep the peace and stand by for the tow drivers safety. Using sound officer tactics and placing themselves in places of tactical cover, they stood by keeping the peace as the tow truck driver attempted to repossess a vehicle. As this happened, an individual armed with a gun equipped with a tactical light emerged from the home and walked into the yard pointing the weapon at unarmed civilians putting their lives in danger. This deliberate use of lethal force required Mac to draw his service weapon. Mac fearing for the tow truck driver's life gave commands to the armed individual. The armed individual responded to the commands by turning and pointing his gun directly at Mac. Based on Alabama Law and his training from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency he was forced by the armed individual's actions to react and discharge his service weapon. Mac and other officers provided medical aid in the attempt to save the individuals life but tragically the armed individual passed away from his wounds. Anytime a life is lost it is a tragedy, a tragedy for all involved. A family that lost a loved one and an officer that has to try and close his eyes to sleep at night with what he had to do to save his own life and the lives of others. A decision he had to make because of the choice of someone else.

The investigation into the incident was turned over to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) which is standard practice for all officer involved shootings in the state of Alabama. The Decatur Police Department also conducted an investigation into the shooting. ALEA and the Decatur Police Department found the shooting to be justified under Alabama Law. ALEA then gave their investigation to the District Attorney’s Office, which was later presented in front of a grand jury. With the negative influence of social media and other news outlets, the grand jury along with the District Attorney indicted Mac on a murder charge.

The individual was armed with a handgun equipped with a light and “brandished the weapon towards an officer,” prompting him to open fire,  ALEA said in a statement issued in September, 2023.

While ALEA was gathering evidence and completing their investigation, people on social media took it upon themselves to say Mac was guilty of murder. Rumors and lies have been spread about Mac and his family. He along with his family have received multiple threats of violence. Before ALEA completed their investigation which found the officer justified, the city which he put his life on the line for every shift terminated him. A termination that was fueled by the Mayor and Police Chiefs fear of the protesters who were outside city hall and even their homes since the incident and have been demanded their termination.

While people who know Mac know that he is a great officer, son, husband, and all around great person, the media and others have made him out to be an awful human and cold blooded killer. Mac did not show up to the call on the morning of September 29th with the thoughts or intentions of having to use his duty weapon to take the life of another man. Unfortunately, the armed individual made the decision to point his weapon at an officer which caused him to lose his life. Mac knew that he had a duty, a duty to protect and serve his community and that's exactly what he did. He protected the other officers that were on scene that night, two other citizens, as well as himself so he could go home to his family. While the death of anyone is extremely tragic and heartbreaking, Mac knew that as a Police Officer he had a duty to protect himself and others, a duty that he is now being punished for doing so. 

With all this being said, Mac and his family are asking for support  during this time of uncertainty. Any amount of support is greatly appreciated. Whether  it comes in the form of prayers, words of encouragement, or financial  support. The Marquette family is going to fight for the justice they  know their loved one deserves. Please consider helping them during this  fight. #BackupMac