‘The excuses run out’: AG Steve Marshall addresses Montgomery’s deadly weekend after city officials reject blame, help for crime crisis

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April 13, 2026

Montgomery Crime Alabama Attorney General — (Attorney General Steve Marshall/Facebook, FOX10 News/Screenshot, YHN)

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is putting the blame squarely on Montgomery’s leadership after another deadly weekend in the capital city.

On Monday, Marshall rebuked city officials who have historically, and again now, deflected responsibility for the city’s worsening crime crisis.

A wave of shootings tore through Montgomery between Friday afternoon and early Sunday morning, leaving four dead and three clinging to life, Montgomery Police Chief Jim Graboys said at a Sunday press conference. In all, officers responded to seven separate shooting incidents in roughly 48 hours.

The weekend pushed Montgomery’s homicide count to 14 for the year.

Marshall reacted to the news and said city officials need to take responsibility for the problems in the city.

“14 homicides before mid-April, and the people running Montgomery keep pointing fingers everywhere but at themselves,” Marshall said on X. “At some point, the excuses run out.”

Marshall then pointed to a bill introduced by State Sen. Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road) that he believes would have helped — but one that Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed was against.

“Sen. Barfoot tried to help,” Marshall said. “SB298 would have fixed MPD’s staffing crisis. That was the leadership and solutions we needed.”

14 homicides before mid-April, and the people running Montgomery keep pointing fingers everywhere but at themselves.

At some point, the excuses run out. Sen. Barfoot tried to help. SB298 would have fixed MPD's staffing crisis. That was the leadership and solutions we needed. https://t.co/ptyjttJtVP

— Attorney General Steve Marshall (@AGSteveMarshall) April 13, 2026

The legislation would have have required Class 3 municipalities, Montgomery and Huntsville, to maintain a minimum of two full-time officers per 1,000 residents, with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency authorized to step in if cities failed to comply.

The measure failed to make it through before the end of the 2026 Legislative session.

“We couldn’t get it out. We didn’t have enough time to be honest with you because it was going to be filibustered all the way through. I hate to cloture on the last day. I mean, sometimes we have to do that. It got to the end of the day and it just wasn’t possible. We could see that,” Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter told reporters on Thursday. “They start back in February and It’s certainly something to be monitored at that time and have an opportunity to do something with it then.”

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