A man has been killed in a mass shooting at a downtown Birmingham intersection where multiple guns were used and at least 50 shots were fired.
The shooting happened around 2:15 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of 25th Street and 7th Avenue North. The intersection is in the middle of an area that includes Park Place Apartments, Marconi Park and the Jones Valley Petting Zoo.
North Precinct officers responded to a call of a person with gunshot wounds. When they arrived, they found a gray Chrysler 300 that had crashed into a tree and a utility vehicle.
The victim was found about 50 feet away in a green space outside an apartment building. She was rushed to UAB Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Officer Truman Fitzgerald said investigators believe a shooting occurred at the intersection. The victim, he said, was targeted.
Investigators placed more than 50 evidence markers along Seventh Avenue North. Evidence markers do not necessarily indicate a single shell casing: one marker can be used to mark multiple shell casings in one location.
“We have at least 50 shell casings in close proximity to where children play and families gather all the time,” Fitzgerald said. “Anytime that number of rounds are fired, we’re extremely fortunate that no one else was hit.”
Police almost immediately began following at least one lead.
“The way we conduct the investigation is a product of police work,” Fitzgerald said. “We have officers who know their area and who know some of the parties involved, including the victim.”
A woman who posted a Facebook Live video of the aftermath of the incident said she saw at least one of the shooters, wearing a ski mask, leaning out the window firing. It appears the victim was able to return fire before collapsing.
A firearm was found near the victim.
However, the investigation is still in its early stages and detectives are looking for anyone with information to come forward.
The shooting is the fourth in Birmingham in five days and the 79th this year.
“As a community, we need to start changing the way we live our daily lives,” Fitzgerald said.
Anyone with information is asked to call homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
News Source : www.al.com
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