Mass Shooting in Birmingham: 4 Dead, 17 Injured in Nightlife District Attack
Four people were killed and 17 others injured when gunfire erupted in the heart of Birmingham, Alabama’s bustling entertainment district on Saturday night. Multiple shooters opened fire on a crowd in the Five Points South area just after 11 p.m., according to the Birmingham Police Department.
Officers responding to the scene found two men and one woman dead from gunshot wounds, while a fourth victim, an adult male, later died at the University of Alabama Hospital, Officer Truman Fitzgerald confirmed. Initial reports had indicated 18 injured, but police now report 17 victims.
Authorities believe the incident was not a random act of violence but stemmed from a targeted attack, with the intended target believed to be among the deceased, according to Police Chief Scott Thurmond. “This wasn’t a random shooting; we think the individual targeted is one of those who lost their lives,” he said during a Sunday press briefing.
No arrests have been made, and the Birmingham Police Department is collaborating with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. They urge anyone with information to come forward.
This shooting adds to the grim toll of mass shootings in the United States this year, with the Gun Violence Archive reporting over 400 such incidents. In Birmingham alone, the city has experienced several mass shootings, including one in July at a nightclub that left four dead and 10 injured, and another in February outside a library where four men were killed.
Five Points South, a popular nightlife area near the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is home to restaurants, bars, and music venues. Police are seeking surveillance footage from businesses in the area to aid in their investigation.
Fitzgerald emphasized that the incident highlights a troubling trend of settling disputes with violence. “These mass shootings have more to do with culture than criminality,” he said, stressing the need to address the root causes behind such tragedies.
