A mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama, late Saturday night has left four people dead and 18 others injured. According to police, multiple shooters opened fire on a group in the Five Points South area.
Birmingham Police Officer Truman Fitzgerald reported that the bodies of two men and one woman were found at the scene, while a third man later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. The shooters are believed to have arrived in a vehicle before exiting and opening fire on the crowd. No suspects have yet been apprehended.
Police believe the shooting was not random but stemmed from an isolated incident, with multiple victims caught in the crossfire. Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond suggested that the incident may have been linked to a murder-for-hire plot, with the intended target among those who were killed. “It wasn’t about the location; it was about the person. They were simply caught where they happened to be,” he stated during a press conference on Sunday.
Of the injured, four individuals are reported to have life-threatening wounds. Authorities are working diligently to locate the shooters, collaborating with the FBI and other federal agencies. A $5,000 reward has been offered for information, and a web portal has been set up for the public to submit photos and videos related to the incident.
The shooting took place on Magnolia Avenue, a district known for its nightlife. Witnesses outside a hookah and cigar lounge reported hearing gunfire that resembled fully automatic weapon fire. Earlier, Officer Fitzgerald mentioned that there were “dozens of gunshot victims” following the incident.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin highlighted the issue of “Glock switches” devices that convert handguns into fully automatic weapons as a significant public safety concern. He stated on social media that such modifications have been contributing to the violence in the area. “These weapons, capable of discharging multiple rounds in seconds, do not belong on our streets,” he remarked. The mayor also mentioned that over 100 shell casings were found at the crime scene.
This shooting marks the second mass shooting in Birmingham within two months and the third quadruple homicide in 2024, according to local news outlet Al.com.
So far this year, the United States has seen more than 400 mass shootings, defined by the Gun Violence Archive as incidents in which four or more people are injured or killed.
