A tragic mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama has left at least four people dead and 18 others injured, according to police reports. The incident took place late on Saturday in the Five Points South area of the city, where multiple shooters fired multiple shots on a group of people.
Birmingham police officer Truman Fitzgerald stated that officers found the bodies of two men and one woman at the scene, with a third man succumbing to his injuries in the hospital. Detectives are currently investigating whether the gunmen approached the victims on foot or drove by the area. As of now, no suspects have been arrested in connection with the shooting.
Authorities believe that the shooting was not random and stemmed from an isolated incident where multiple victims were caught in the crossfire. Detectives are working to identify the intended target or targets of the attack and are actively searching for the shooters. The police have enlisted the help of the FBI and other federal agencies, offering a $5,000 reward for information and setting up a web portal for submitting photos and videos of the incident.
The Five Points South district, known for its nightlife, was the location of the shooting on Magnolia Avenue. Witnesses outside a hookah and cigar lounge described hearing gunfire that sounded like it came from a fully automatic weapon.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin expressed concern over the use of “Glock switches,” devices that can convert handguns into fully automatic weapons. He emphasized that these devices pose a significant public safety threat and called for action to address the issue at the state level.
This tragic incident adds to the alarming statistics of mass shootings in the US, with over 400 such incidents recorded this year alone, as reported by the Gun Violence Archive. The community is left reeling from the senseless violence, as authorities continue their investigation to bring those responsible to justice.
