From The Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM — A woman is dead and four others were injured in a shooting that followed what officials are calling an “exhibition driving” incident here early on Sunday morning.
The dead woman has been identified as Ja’Kia Winston, 19, of Birmingham.
“At approximately 3 a.m., North Precinct officers were dispatched to the 800 Block of 2nd Avenue North on report of a person shot,” BPD Public Information Officer Truman Fitzgerald stated. “Officers arrived on the scene when they observed the victim lying unresponsive in a parking lot suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Birmingham Fire and Rescue personnel arrived on the scene and pronounced the victim deceased.”
“Exhibition driving” — including illegal street racing — has plagued Birmingham in recent months.
“Exhibition driving is out of control in the city of Birmingham. It is not isolated to one part of town but occurring across the city on public streets and too often in private parking lots where no one has granted permission. Exhibition driving is dangerous and it is a crime,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said. “Early this morning during such an incident, a driver lost control, hit another vehicle and in the violent aftermath, 5 people were shot. One of those people died. This is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. The city of Birmingham will do everything possible to enforce the law but the truth is the current laws are not strong enough. The maximum penalty is a ticket for reckless driving.
According to police reports, the preliminary investigation suggests that multiple parties were in the parking lot participating in vehicle burnouts and other “driving activities” when a vehicle collided into another vehicle.
The incident turned violent and gunshots were exchanged. A total of five people were struck by gunfire. In addition to Winston, two adult women and two adult men were shot. The four survivors were transported to a local area hospital via private vehicle.
“Two of the surviving victims have life-threatening injuries,” Fitzgerald stated. “Currently, we have one person of interest in custody. BPD Homicide detectives will question him at BPD headquarters.”
However, Fitzgerald hastened to add that BPD is searching for other suspects.
“We believe there were multiple shooters,” he said.
Authorities request that anyone who has information pertaining to the case contact the B.P.D. Homicide Unit at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers through the Birmingham Police Department’s Mobile App on Android or IOS devices.
This is Birmingham’s 79th murder investigation of 2022 including 6 justifiable death investigations.
