Manhunt Underway Following Mass Shooting in Birmingham, Alabama

A manhunt has been launched for multiple shooters responsible for killing four individuals and injuring 18 more in a mass shooting that occurred in Birmingham, Alabama. According to police statements made early Sunday, the assailants fired on a large group of people before fleeing the scene in a vehicle.

Police Chief Scott Thurmond indicated that preliminary investigations suggest the shooters may have been targeting a specific individual among the group, who was one of those killed. “We believe there was a hit, if you will, on that particular person as far as someone willing to pay money to have that person killed,” Thurmond revealed, though the identity of the target remains undisclosed.

The incident took place in one of Birmingham’s most frequented entertainment districts, highlighting the severity of assault weapons possibly used during the attack. Officer Truman Fitzgerald noted that at least four of the wounded victims sustained life-threatening injuries.

The Birmingham Police Department’s response, aided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), involves reviewing surveillance footage and encouraging witnesses or local businesses to come forward with any evidence. The department confirmed that no suspects have been apprehended as of yet.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has vocalized concerns about the increase in violent crimes, citing a resurgence following the expiration of a federal assault weapons ban. “Do not tell me this is not solvable. At the same time, do not tell me this is only on the police to solve,” Woodfin asserted, highlighting the need for legislative action at all levels of government.

The shooting is the second mass shooting to impact the city this year, with a prior incident in July resulting in four fatalities at a nightclub. The University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital has confirmed the treatment of 12 individuals, amidst ongoing recovery efforts for those critically injured in this latest calamity.