WILCOX, Ala. — Travelers eastbound on Interstate 10 slowed to a crawl just past the Wilcox exit Friday.

The drivers passing by saw a number of police cars, Baldwin County Sheriff’s cars, and Rosinton Volunteer Fire Department trucks.

They were not looking at the aftermath of an accident. Instead, four Loxley police officers shot and killed Raymond Schaefer, 48, of Dulac, La. Schaefer was a suspect in a Malbis bank robbery.

According to Maj. Anthony Lowrey, a spokesperson for the Sheriff's department, “Around 9:07 a.m. a man robbed a Regions Bank in Malbis, and left driving a Chevy truck. The Loxley police officers spotted the truck heading eastbound on I-10. The officers tried to stop the vehicle. Shots were fired, and the suspect died at the scene.”

A release from the Sheriff’s Office adds that four Loxley officers were involved in the incident. According to police, Schaefer had a small handgun and two other weapons. The money from the robbery was recovered. The police did not say how much was taken or recovered.

According to a Sheriffs Department press release, “The suspect refused to obey officer commands and produced the handgun causing officers to shoot and fatally wound the suspect.”

According to Lowrey, the Loxley Police Department asked the Sheriffs Department to investigate.

According to Lowrey on Tuesday morning, the Sheriff’s Department investigation will be wrapped up “today or tomorrow” and the results of the investigation would be forwarded as is usual to the District Attorney’s office, who Lowrey said would present the case to the Baldwin County Grand Jury. As of this time, there is no information on when the Grand Jury will hear the case.

The Loxley officers were placed on administrative leave with pay until the matter can be fully investigated.

“We will be submitting something to the (Loxley) Chief of Police, and they will be cleared for work shortly,” said Lowrey in a telephone interview.

“There is every indication,“ said Lowrey, “that the officers acted correctly. It is unfortunate that sometimes the officers have to do this, but they had to defend themselves.”

Schaefer’s body was given to Coroner James Small who is expected to have the body autopsied by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.