Police in Birmingham, Alabama, announced on Sunday that they were hunting for “multiple shooters” who “fired upon a large group of people,” resulting in four fatalities and seventeen injuries.
According to Police Chief Scott Thurmond, a number of persons pulled up in a car, got out, and started shooting before getting back in to escape. Along with the four fatalities, a total of twenty-one individuals were shot.
Three of the four deceased, who were described as citizens of Alabama, were named by Birmingham police on Sunday night as Anitra Holloman, 21, of Bessemer; Tahj Booker, 27, of Birmingham; and Carlos McCain, 27, of Birmingham. The identity of the fourth deceased, a man according to the police, was still a mystery.
Thurmond refrained from disclosing any suspects’ identities. He stated that based on an initial probe, authorities thought the gunmen were going after a single person.
“We believe there was a hit, if you will, on that particular person as far as someone willing to pay money to have that person killed,” Thurmond stated.
He added the somebody, who remained unidentified by the police, was one of the deceased. According to Thurmond, investigators think that at least one fully automatic weapon—which is prohibited except in extreme circumstances—was discharged.
A News outlet reports that the incident took place outside Hush, a lounge in the city’s famed Five Points South nightlife neighborhood.
According to The Birmingham News, as shooting broke out, customers were waiting in line to enter Hush. It featured an interview with Ryan Pryor, the proprietor of Hush, who revealed that the club launched in 2019 following his retirement as an officer from the Birmingham Police Department.
“Unfortunately, some of my patrons who happened to be standing on the sidewalk were injured and killed,” Pryor stated.
Hush expressed its “deep sadness” and “heartfelt condolences” in a message that was shared as an Instagram Story on Sunday in response to the events of Saturday night.
“It is heartbreaking that a moment meant for gathering and community was shattered by such tragedy,” as per the statement. “As we all process this, we must continue to support each other, hold space for those in pain, and work toward fostering peace and safety in our communities.”
The 24-year-old Trussville, Alabama resident Gabriel Eslami claimed in a Facebook post that he heard dozens of gunshots while waiting in line outside Hush.
Eslami gave credit to a buddy who he claimed had also sustained injuries for going to his car, finding him, and transporting him to the UAB Hospital in Birmingham, which is part of the University of Alabama. Eslami was treated and released, according to email confirmation from Hannah Echols, a university representative.
Following the incident, images and videos were shared on social media that appeared to show at least two injured individuals lying on the ground outdoors, along with other people yelling as they waited for rescue.
Hours after the event, Birmingham Police Officer Truman Fitzgerald stated at a press conference that at least four of the injured had “life-threatening injuries.”
When authorities got there just after 11 p.m. on Saturday, according to Fitzgerald, they “observed two adult males and one adult female who was unresponsive on the sidewalk suffering from a gunshot wound.”
He added that the fourth person was declared dead at the neighboring UAB Hospital, and that they were declared “dead at the scene” by the medics. It reported that it has treated twelve patients.
“Multiple victims were caught in the crossfire,” Birmingham police said in a video statement early on Sunday morning. When asked if someone had returned fire at a later press conference, Police Chief Thurmond indicated that was something that investigators were attempting to find out.
“Multiple shell casings” were found at the scene, he said, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was assisting in the gathering of data regarding the weapons that were used.
He added that the FBI was involved in the probe as well.
Thurmond assured the public that they could provide tips in confidence and urged anyone with knowledge to come forward. Additionally, police asked nearby businesses that have security cameras to review their footage and offer any pertinent information to detectives.
This year’s mass shooting in the city is the second one. Four fatalities occurred at a nightclub in July.
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In his passionate plea for reform, Mayor Randall Woodfin stated that the city had experienced a sharp drop in gun violence following the 1994 implementation of a federal ban on assault rifles. Woodfin continued, “After the ban expired ten years later, violent crime increased.”
According to Woodfin, the number of firearm homicides has increased since the ban was repealed because of changes in the types of weapons used in gun-related crimes.
“Do not tell me this is not solvable. At the same time, do not tell me this is only on the police to solve,” Woodfin stated on Sunday morning. “Elected officials — locally, statewide and nationally — have a duty to solve this American crisis, this American epidemic of gun violence.”
