Birmingham firefighter Jordan Melton was intentionally targeted and killed because he had been subpoenaed to testify in a murder trial, according to court documents cited by various media outlets.

Melton, 29, was shot on duty at Birmingham Fire Station 9 on July 12, 2023, alongside fellow firefighter Jamal Jones, who survived but sustained critical injuries. Melton died five days later, on July 26, at UAB Hospital.

Per court filings, Melton had been a key witness in the 2021 killing of Eric Tyler Sledge Jr., a 27-year-old Hoover father. The accused in that case, Larry Denzel Rollins, was later acquitted in a 2024 trial. Melton had been subpoenaed to testify in that proceeding.

The criminal complaint, as reported by AL.com, states that the crime “stemmed from, was caused by, or was related to the capacity or role of Jordan Ellis Melton as said witness.”

Damien McDaniel has been charged with capital murder in Melton’s death, while Eddie Jerry Jones, 47, was arrested on March 20, 2025, and charged with capital murder of a first responder.

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According to charging documents referenced by multiple outlets, Jones is accused of providing McDaniel with Melton’s identity and location, enabling the fatal ambush.

The attack occurred shortly after Melton and Jones began their shift at Station 9, when a gunman entered through the open bay door, typically left open to serve the public.

Station 9 remained closed until December 2023 following the shooting. Jones, who survived the attack, was later promoted to the rank of sergeant but has not yet returned to work.

While Rollins has not been charged in connection with Melton’s death, prosecutors are pursuing capital murder charges against Jones under Alabama’s statute for killing a witness.

The Birmingham Police Department has confirmed the investigation remains ongoing.

Sherri Blevins is a writer for Mountain Valley News and a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].