Authorities in Birmingham, Alabama, are looking for leads and a motive in a daytime shooting at a city fire station this month that left one on-duty firefighter dead and another injured.
Few details have emerged from the July 12 shooting, although Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond described it as a « targeted attack ».
« It’s extremely unusual for someone to come and target one of our fire stations, » the chief said at a press conference the day of the shooting. He added: « I find this extremely worrying. »
The firefighter who was killed, Jordan Melton, 29, had graduated from the recruiting academy at Birmingham Fire and Rescue just a month earlier, said the city’s mayor, Randall L. Woodfin.
« We are exhausting every resource to find answers and justice for Jordan’s loved ones, » Woodfin said said in a statement. “Jordan has paid the ultimate price for his service to our city. We will not allow that sacrifice to be in vain. »
Second police, one or more suspects shot and killed two firefighters inside Fire Station 9 in Birmingham’s Norwood neighborhood. The attack, which was reported at around 8.30am, appears to have occurred near the bay gates of the station.
Mr. Melton died a few days after the shooting on July 17th Mr. Melton’s funeral will be held on Wednesday.
Jamal Jones, the other firefighter who was shot, was says he is in serious condition the day of the shooting. Further information on his condition was not immediately available. Efforts to reach the Birmingham Police Department, the Fire Department and the Mayor’s office on Sunday were unsuccessful.
Birmingham Fire Brigade honored his collaborators who were attacked in the days following the shooting, e cried Mr. Melton.
« You couldn’t be near Recruit Melton and not smile, » Stan Frierson, a battalion chief, said on Twitter. « I’m known as someone who doesn’t smile often, but every time we spoke, it ended with him saying, Boss, smile. »
Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama said it was being offered a reward totaling $45,000 for tips leading up to the arrest during the shooting.
The North Precinct of the Birmingham Police Department, which includes Norwood, 17 homicides reported from 1 January to 17 July, compared to 13 in the same period in 2022.
