Birmingham police discovered three individuals who had been fatally shot in a vehicle. The victims were identified as 5-year-old Landyn Brooks, 28-year-old Arkia "Kia" Berry, and Eric Ashley Jr, also 28.
Arkia was a hair stylist, and young Landyn was just months away from starting kindergarten. Their lives were cruelly taken shortly before 5:30pm.
These three victims were part of a total of seven people who lost their lives in the city on that fateful Saturday within a few hours. Four people were killed and nine others injured in a drive-by shooting at a birthday party.
"A lot of innocent people were shot and killed yesterday,'' Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin expressed in a social media post. "Many others wounded".
"The Birmingham Police Department and our federal partners have one priority right now -- hunt these **** down who committed these heinous acts,'' the mayor wrote. "We need swift justice for the victims and their families. "".
The mayor urged that family members, loved ones, and even strangers should come forward if they had any information about the shooters, imploring people, "Do not protect them."
"The Birmingham Police Department also stands with our community in this time of grief and loss as we have witnessed senseless acts of violence in the City of Birmingham,'' police officials said in a statement on Sunday. "Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and everyone affected. "".
"In the face of such tragedy, we remain resolute in our mission to ensure justice for the victims,'' the statement continued. "We are working tirelessly to apprehend those responsible and bring them to justice. "".
City officials and law enforcement officials also held a joint news conference Sunday. Police Chief Scott Thurmond said the two multiple homicide events comprised the "most tragic day in my time with the Birmingham Police Department."
In the triple homicide, the shooting took place in an entrance at Echo Highlands Park in the Echo Highlands neighbourhood. Officer Truman Fitzgerald said police found a sedan in front of a house next to the park that was riddled with bullet holes and the three victims were dead inside the vehicle.
Witnesses told police they believe the shooter or shooters fled in another vehicle. The majority of the shell casings were in the parking area of the park.
The officer stated: "We believe some sort of interaction took place between the occupants of the victim's vehicle and the suspects' vehicle. Anytime we have a homicide, it affects us. But when you have a child, it affects you differently."
He continued: "In this case, we have a small, school-aged child that got caught up in the violence that's taking place in our city. We have to ask the question, 'When is enough going to be enough?"
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A second shooting occurred at a club where a large crowd had gathered for a private party. Shots were fired from a vehicle just after 11 pm. , leading to multiple calls to the police.
One man was found shot outside the venue, and two women inside. All three were declared dead at the scene.
Birmingham police Deputy Chief Rodarius Mauldin reported that several other victims arrived at nearby hospitals with gunshot wounds, and a fourth person was later pronounced dead at UAB Hospital. Nine other people suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
"We're unsure what led to the incident and whether someone was targeted," said the deputy chief.
These seven homicides over the weekend brought the total number of killings in Birmingham in 2024 to 89.
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