Madison Co. Attempted Murder Arrest

Royden Warren Vickers
A Madison County man is facing attempted murder charges after he allegedly fired multiple shots in his neighborhood.
Royden Vickers, 48, was arrested and now faces two attempted murder charges and discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling charge after investigators say he discharged a rifle several times on Misty Hollow Way Tuesday morning. The incident prompted multiple 911 calls from residents reporting gunfire around 6 a.m.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they attempted a tactical approach, but Vickers reportedly fired two shots at them. Deputies were forced to take cover behind their vehicles, and one of the bullets fired by Vickers entered a nearby home.
Stacey Bates, chief deputy with the Madison County Sheriff's Office, described the unpredictability of such calls for law enforcement.
"They just don't ever know what the call is gonna be, but when the citizens call, that's our job to respond to these things," Bates said. "So we're very fortunate again that someone didn't get hurt."
A neighbor who called 911 but did not want to appear on camera said she was walking her dog when she and others heard at least 20 gunshots.
Bates highlighted the importance of the public reporting suspicious activity, especially in close-knit neighborhoods.
"Anything that you see or hear that you think is suspicious, that's just out of the ordinary for where you live — it's very out of the ordinary for a subdivision or neighborhood like this where the houses are very close together, the lots are very small," Bates said. "Gunfire at six o'clock in the morning is not normal."
After making contact with Vickers, deputies say he willingly surrendered. In addition to the rifle he allegedly used in the shooting, Vickers had three handguns and a significant amount of ammunition on him at the time of his arrest. Investigators are still working to determine the motive behind the gunfire and the multiple guns, and WAAY 31 will provide updates as more information becomes available.