(TUSCALOOSA, AL)-- Tuscaloosa Police Officer Dornell Cousette was shot and killed in the line of duty on Monday. Cousette was a beloved member of the community, with a reputation as a heroic and trustworthy officer.
In honor of Cousette, the lights of Bryant-Denny Stadium shone blue Wednesday evening. A memorial was also set up outside of the stadium and will remain for the rest of the week.
Joe Pierson is a retired veteran of the Tuscaloosa Police Department who worked with Cousette. He was one of the many people to stop by the memorial and pay respects to the fallen officer.
“I would ask myself, 'Would I go through a door with him if I didn’t know what was on the other side?' and I would go through a door with him anytime," he said. "Going into a dangerous situation that you don’t know what you might be faced with, you feel better if you got somebody there. You know how they’re going to react, that you can depend on them, they’re not going to freeze up, they’re not going to run. He certainly wasn’t the person that would have done that; he would have been with you until the end.”
Celebration of Life Services will take place at noon on Sunday at Shelton State Community College with Pastor Dr. Herman Peters officiating. Cousette is survived by his fiancé and two daughters.
