21 people shot, 4 killed, in Birmingham, Alabama mass shooting

Multiple gunmen opened fire among clubgoers in Birmingham, Alabama, on late Saturday night to carry out a hit, killing four people – including the targeted individual – and injuring nearly 20 others, according to local officials. No arrests have been made.

The incident happened just after 11 p.m. on Saturday when officers were called for a shooting in the 2000 block of Magnolia Avenue South, close to Hush hookah lounge, in the city’s Five Points South Entertainment District.

“Officers arrived on the scene when they observed 2 adult males and 1 adult female lying unresponsive on a sidewalk suffering from multiple gunshot wounds,” police spokesman Truman Fitzgerald said. “Officers then located additional victims in the area who were shot. Also, gunshot victims began arriving at local area hospitals.”

By Sunday night, police confirmed a total of 21 gunshot victims, including three people who died at the scene and a fourth who died at a local hospital. Seventeen other victims were being treated in hospital with injuries ranging from non-life threatening to critical.

Investigators believe victims were caught in crossfire when multiple suspects using machine gun conversion devices opened fire on a large group of people who were standing outside in a public area, apparently targeting only one person.

“We believe this was a targeted shooting. It was not something that occurred at that location but there was an individual there who was targeted,” Police Chief Scott Thurmond said at a briefing, adding that more than 100 shell casings were found.

“We believe the individual that was targeted is among the deceased,” he said. “We believe that there was a hit, if you will, on that particular person, or, as you know, someone was willing to pay money to have that person killed.”

Three of the victims who were killed have been identified as 27-year-old Tahj Booker and 27-year-old Carlos McCain, both from Birmingham, and 21-year-old Anitra Holloman, of Bessemer, Alabama. The fourth victim, an adult male, has not yet been identified.

No arrests were made as of Sunday afternoon. Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Birmingham Police Department’s Homicide Division at 205-254-1764. You can also stay anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.

Editor’s Note: The Birmingham Police Department initially reported a total of 22 gunshot victims. This was later revised to 21.