Four dead, dozens injured in Alabama mass shooting

In a shocking incident on September 21 evening, at least four people lost their lives and dozens were injured in a mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama, within the bustling Five Points South entertainment district.

The Birmingham Police Department unveiled the details early September 22, Caliber.Az reports via US media.

The violence erupted just after 11 p.m. when "multiple shooters fired multiple shots into a crowd," according to Officer Truman Fitzgerald. Upon arrival, officers found two men and a woman unresponsive from gunshot wounds; all three were pronounced dead at the scene, while a fourth victim succumbed to injuries at a local hospital.

As of Sunday morning, no suspects were in custody. Fitzgerald noted that the victims were located on the sidewalk and streets, and detectives are investigating whether the shooters approached on foot or from a vehicle.

Additional victims with gunshot wounds were identified at the scene, and various individuals were transported to nearby hospitals. UAB Hospital received 11 victims, including one of the deceased, Hannah Echols, though the specific conditions of the injured have not been disclosed.

“We have dozens of gunshot victims from this area,” Fitzgerald stated, highlighting that at least four victims are in life-threatening condition, while others sustained varying injuries. The motivation behind the shooting remains unclear, and police are exploring whether multiple shootings occurred.

Several law enforcement agencies are collaborating on the investigation, and Birmingham police are requesting surveillance footage from local businesses as well as any information from the public.

“We are committed to uncovering, identifying, and bringing to justice those responsible for this tragedy,” Fitzgerald assured.

The Five Points South area, known for its vibrant nightlife, is located near the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a short drive from downtown Birmingham. Fitzgerald remarked on a broader cultural issue, stating that “these mass shootings have more to do with culture than criminality,” as he lamented the increasing tendency to resolve conflicts with violence.

This incident adds to the grim statistic of at least 403 mass shootings recorded in the United States this year, as defined by the Gun Violence Archive, which categorizes a mass shooting as any incident in which four or more people are shot, excluding the shooter.