A deadly shooting incident in Birmingham, Alabama, left four people dead and 17 others injured on Saturday night. The incident, which authorities believe was a targeted attack, occurred in the bustling Five Points South district, a popular nightlife area filled with entertainment venues, restaurants, and bars. The mass shooting has left the city on edge, with officials calling for assistance in solving the crime and addressing the broader issue of gun violence.
The shooting took place shortly after 11 p.m. outside Hush, a hookah and cigar lounge. Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond stated that a vehicle pulled up, and multiple shooters emerged, opening fire before fleeing the scene. The authorities believe that one of the deceased was the intended target of the attack, possibly in a murder-for-hire scheme.
Police recovered approximately 100 shell casings from the scene, suggesting that some of the gunfire may have been fully automatic. Investigators are also trying to determine if anyone returned fire, which could have resulted in crossfire. The victims included two men and a woman found on a sidewalk with gunshot wounds, who were pronounced dead at the scene, and another male victim who died at a hospital.
By Sunday morning, 17 people had been identified with injuries, some of them life-threatening. The area, popular with young adults due to its proximity to the University of Alabama at Birmingham and numerous nearby restaurants and bars, was left in shock.
Geoffrey Boshell, a 22-year-old biomedical engineering student who lives nearby, described hearing a burst of rapid pops that sounded like automatic gunfire. He witnessed people screaming and fleeing the scene. Ashton Mills, a 24-year-old resident of a nearby apartment complex, also heard the gunfire and expressed her fear, especially as a single woman living in the city.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin expressed frustration at the escalating gun violence in the country. He called on state and federal officials to provide more resources to cities to combat this issue. He criticized Alabama’s decision last year to abolish the requirement for a permit to carry a concealed handgun in public and expressed concern about the increasing comfort with which people carry weapons intended to cause harm.
Woodfin emphasized the responsibility of elected officials at all levels to address this crisis of gun violence, which he described as an American epidemic. He urged for more stringent measures to control the proliferation of weapons, particularly Glock switches and assault-style rifles.