A Birmingham neighborhood where residents say serious crime is uncommon became the scene of a deadly mass shooting Thursday night, leaving two people dead, five others injured and investigators searching for answers.
Birmingham Police responded shortly after 8:30 p.m. to reports of multiple people shot in the 100 block of Holley Avenue. When officers arrived, they found at least seven adults suffering from gunshot wounds.
Birmingham Fire and Rescue transported the victims to area hospitals. Authorities later confirmed that two of the victims died from their injuries.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office identified the deceased as 50-year-old Benard Duane Montez Watts and 33-year-old Diandra Young Johnson, both of Birmingham.
According to Birmingham Police, preliminary evidence indicates a gathering was taking place when gunfire erupted.
“The preliminary investigation has revealed that some sort of gathering was going on at the location when gunfire erupted and wounded at least seven,” Officer D. Ray Freeman of the Birmingham Police Department Public Information Division said during an on-scene media briefing.
Investigators have not determined how many shooters may have been involved. Freeman said officers encountered evidence of extensive gunfire at the scene.
“I can’t say right now how many shooters there were, but I can tell you that there were a plethora of gunshots fired in this area, a bunch of shell casings on the ground, and we just have a lot of digging to do to figure out what transpired in this case,” Freeman said.
Police estimated that more than 30 shell casings were recovered from the area.
As detectives processed the scene, Birmingham Police deployed the department’s Star 1 helicopter to assist in the search for anyone who may have been involved. Freeman said investigators also transported numerous witnesses to police headquarters for questioning while officers continued gathering information.
At the time of the briefing, no arrests had been announced and investigators were still working to determine whether any persons of interest had been identified.
The violence came as a surprise to both residents and responding officers.
“We have been told by community members that that location rarely has any incidents, so this is actually shocking to us that something of that nature occurred there,” Freeman said.
He also noted that the area presented challenges for first responders because of its narrow roadway, darkness and lack of street lighting.
Police said all seven victims were adults. Authorities have not released information about the conditions of the five surviving victims.
Investigators remained at the scene for several hours collecting evidence and following leads. Freeman pledged that the department would continue pursuing those responsible.
“We won’t sleep until we find out who’s done this. Who’s caused this tragedy in this community?” he said.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
