On Tuesday, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said the city is in an unfair fight with increasing gun violence due to failures by the state government to allow cities like Birmingham to implement gun control.
“The gun culture, as well as gun violence, in our community continues to rear its head in ways that are stupid, reckless,” Woodfin said. “At a local level, our hands are tied as far as being able or legally allowed to regulate guns. The state of Alabama has chosen to go in the direction of no one even needs a permit. People can ride around with any type of guns.”
The mayor was referencing the constitutional carry bill signed by Gov. Kay Ivey in 2022. He made the comments Tuesday in reaction to a shooting that occurred early Sunday morning in a gas station parking lot on Third Avenue West, leaving one man dead and six others injured.Woodfin blames “inaction” at the state and federal level for the recent uptick in gun violence.
“You have inaction at the federal level, where the assault weapon ban expired and has not been renewed, and so it’s not just guns, but it’s the type of guns, military style guns that are on Birmingham’s streets,” he said. “When you get no action or inaction at the federal level, when you get the state that says you don’t even need a permit, people still look to the 10 of us (mayor and city council), where we can’t even regulate guns.”
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Woodfin also argued that some of the local businesses bear some responsibility for the growing problem.
“Since the incident this weekend, the legal department has filed civil injunction against several of the establishments in the 800 block of Third Avenue West,” he explained. “I want to put all businesses on notice. We had this conversation publicly with you all two weeks ago. We believe in supporting our small businesses. Small businesses are the backbone of our community, as well as how we produce taxes in this community. At the same time, I think it’s worth noting publicly that there is an expectation that those who are small business owners, that they are responsible for the activities that happen on their private property, and or that spill out onto our public spaces that create or cause a public nuisance. Ultimately, you have to be held accountable.”
According to WBRC, “Birmingham police are looking at 42 murders. This time last year, the number was 38. Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond says a big part of the totals so far has come from around Valentines Day when six people were killed in one day.”
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
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