Rainbow City Police Issue Statement on Fatal Double Shooting

Deceased Suspect Identified 

Rainbow City- A woman was injured, and a man was found dead following an early morning shooting at a Rainbow City apartment complex.

Officers were called to Rainbow Apartments on Doris Street around 5:30 Tuesday morning after reports of gunfire. When police arrived, they found a woman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was treated at the scene and airlifted to an area hospital, where she is reported to be in stable condition.

Inside the apartment, officers discovered a man deceased from what authorities say appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He has been identified as 46-year-old Eddie Charles Ellis Jr. of Gadsden. Investigators determined the man and woman were in a relationship.

Police said two juveniles under the age of 16 were inside the residence at the time of the incident but were not injured.

The Jacksonville State University Center for Applied Forensic Science and the Etowah County District Attorney’s Office assisted at the scene. The James M. Barrie Center for Children also provided support. Ellis’s body is being transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy.

The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details are expected to be released by Rainbow City police.

The following statement was released by the Rainbow City Police Department:

Rainbow City Police Department

Office of Police Chief Camp Yancey

3700 Rainbow Drive

Rainbow City, AL 35906

Woman Injured, Man Found Deceased in Early Morning Shooting at Apartment Complex

On February 3rd, 2026, officers responded to a call around 5:30 AM to Rainbow Apartments on Doris Street in reference to a female that had been shot, along with a male with a gunshot wound.

 Officers arrived on scene, along with Rainbow City Fire Department Medics and A-Med. The female victim appeared to have been shot multiple times and was transported via helicopter to an area hospital. Officers found a male deceased inside of the apartment with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The male has been identified as Eddie Charles Ellis Jr., 46, of Gadsden.

 It was determined that the male and female were in a relationship.

 There were also two juveniles under the age of 16 inside of the residence at the time but were not harmed.

 Jacksonville State University Center for Applied Forensic and the Etowah County District Attorney’s Office responded to the scene for assistance. Additionally, we would like to thank the James M. Barrie Center for Children for their assistance.

 The male is being transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science for an autopsy.

 Currently, the victim is in stable condition.

The investigation is still ongoing.