14-year-old boy dies of gunshot wound in Birmingham; investigations ongoing

An investigation is ongoing after a 14-year-old was admitted to UAB Hospital early Sunday with a fatal gunshot wound.

Shortly before 7 a.m. Sunday, officers from the Southern Precinct were dispatched to a report of a person admitted to UAB Hospital with a gunshot wound.

When they arrived at the hospital, they learned that a minivan carrying the 14-year-old victim had arrived at the emergency room. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officer Truman Fitzgerald said police learned the shooting may have occurred in the Roebuck or Huffman area.

Eastern District officers began coordinating with Southern District officers – who had been called to the hospital – and located a possible crime scene in the 9200 block of Parkway East. Specifically, the crime scene appeared to be between Walmart and Wells Fargo, near a small commercial strip.

“We know there were several juveniles in that area,” Fitzgerald said. “We know there was a gun involved and that the 14-year-old victim was ultimately shot.”

“What we don’t know right now is how this happened,” he said.

The police have arrested at least four young people. They are being questioned at police headquarters in the presence of their parents.

The teenagers – all aged between 14 and 17 – remained in the hospital, where they took the victim.

“We will try to find out what happened,” Fitzgerald said. “We believe there were at least five to six juveniles in the vehicle.”

“Our investigators have a lot of investigating to do to find out what led to the shooting of the 14-year-old,” he said.

Fitzgerald said it was too early to say whether the fatal shooting was accidental or intentional.

“Almost everyone involved is in custody,” he said, “so we hope to hear from them what happened.”

He said he did not yet know why all the youths were outside and in that area at 6:30 a.m.

“The kids knew each other,” Fitzgerald said. “The sad truth is we keep pointing to this story about people, places and behavior … and now we have lost a 14-year-old boy to gunfire.”

Fitzgerald said this was the third incident in three days in which a community member had stepped in and provided police with crucial information for an investigation.

“We just want to commend our community members for this,” he said. “It’s been incredibly useful. It’s a huge success.”

Anyone with further information is asked to call detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.