Ensley, Alabama — A family gathering took a tragic turn Saturday night, resulting in the deaths of two men and leaving a woman injured following a shooting believed to stem from a domestic dispute.
The incident occurred during a barbecue held in the wake of a funeral for a 29-year-old man, who was fatally shot in Fairfield the previous week. The atmosphere quickly changed from mourning to chaos as gunfire erupted around 11:25 p.m. inside an apartment complex in the 1400 block of 20th Place.
Responding to reports of multiple gunshots, officers from the West Precinct arrived at the scene to find three individuals suffering from gunshot wounds. While both men succumbed to their injuries at the scene, the woman was rushed to UAB Hospital. Officials indicated her injuries are not life-threatening.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the shooting involved family members. Officer Truman Fitzgerald confirmed that a family member likely fired shots into the apartment from outside, leading to a scene marked by significant bloodshed. Witnesses indicated that numerous rounds were discharged, while family members outside the police tape revealed that all victims were related.
Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the initial argument that sparked the violence. Fitzgerald noted, “We don’t know what started the argument, but we understand this is one large family gathering.”
In a concerted effort to apprehend the shooter, the police department’s Special Enforcement Team was deployed, receiving a tip that the suspect had fled toward Bessemer. Within two hours of the shooting, local authorities apprehended a female suspect at a residence in Bessemer.
Fitzgerald praised the swift response of officers, stating, “The successful arrest of a capital murder suspect so quickly speaks volumes about the dedication of our law enforcement agencies.” He expressed gratitude to the Bessemer Police for their cooperation in the arrest and acknowledged the community’s role in providing crucial information.
The identities of the deceased have not yet been publicly disclosed, but they are now counted among Birmingham’s homicide statistics for the year. This incident contributes to a growing concern about violence within familial contexts as relatives gathered for a memorial taking place just days before.
The recent funeral was for Ja’Oree Marquel Brown-Allen, who had also been shot to death just a week earlier. Law enforcement continues to investigate the connection and circumstances surrounding both violent events as they seek to bring resolution to the grieving families involved.