Sept. 22 (UPI) — Local and federal authorities in Birmingham, Ala., on Sunday launched a manhunt for “multiple shooters” after they “fired upon a large group of people,” killing four and injuring 17 others.
The incident occurred after 11 p.m. Saturday at Five Points South, an entertainment and restaurant district with restaurants and nightlife. The shooting was outside Hush, a hookah and cigar lounge.
More than 100 shell casings were collected at the scene.
Police said it was an isolated incident and not random.
Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond the incident may have been a murder-for-hire and the victim was likely found by the shooters and died.
The number of those injured previously was listed as 18.
Their injuries ranged from non-life-threatening to at least four life-threatening.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital was treating 11 victims, a spokesperson told WVTM in a statement.
The shooters left their vehicle, began shooting, returned to their vehicle and drove away, Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond said Sunday.
When police arrived, two men and a woman were found unresponsive with gunshot wounds. They were declared deceased at the scene and another person, a man died, at the hospital.
Hundreds of people gathered in the nightspot neighborhood on Saturday night with streets blocked off by police.
“It’s a beautiful night on a Saturday,” Birmingham police Officer Truman Fitzgerald said. “This is one of the most popular entertainment districts in Birmingham so you can always expect a crowd.”
The victims were out in the open on the sidewalk and street when the shooting began, Fitzgerald said.
“I walked up when it was just ending, because everybody was screaming, there was people crying,” Dajon Singleton told WVTM about the “very scary” situation.
Police believe Glock switches, which are machine gun conversion devices, were used.
“Glock switches are the number one public safety issue in our city and state,” Mayor Randall Woodfin posted on X on Sunday morning. “Converting a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic weapon that discharges all bullets within seconds doesn’t belong on our domestic streets.”
There have been 122 homicides in Birmingham this year, including two other quadruple ones, according to AL.com
Birmingham had 135 homicides in 2023 and 144 in 2022.
