A man was shot to death by a Birmingham police officer during a disturbance call Monday night in Birmingham’s Forest Park neighborhood.
A South Precinct officer was dispatched shortly after 8:30 p.m. to the 700 block of 34th Street South on a call of disorderly person. That location is just off Clairmont Avenue, in the parking lot of an apartment building.
Chief Scott Thurmond said when the officer arrived on the scene, an altercation ensued and the officer fired an undisclosed number of shots, critically wounding the man.
The man was taken to UAB Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Thurmond said investigators are still trying to determine the man’s identity.
No officers were injured in the incident.
Asked if the man was armed, the chief said, “That is one thing we are looking into. There is a possibility that is the case – it is one of the things that we have heard so far.”
The chief said authorities are still trying to piece together the circumstances that led to police being called.
A man was shot to death June 24, 2024, by Birmingham police responding to a disorderly conduct call in Forest Park.(Carol Robinson)
“It’s very early in this investigation,’’ he said, “so it’s hard for us to have all the facts.”
Three young men sat on a curb outside the 700 Apartments as officers brought them water. Thurmond said there were several civilian witnesses to the deadly shooting.
He said officers were also canvassing the area to see if any nearby residents also witnessed the incident.
It appears, Thurmond said, that only one officer fired shots. That officer, who will be placed on leave as part of department policy, was wearing a working body camera..
The State Bureau of Investigation will lead the shooting probe, which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings.
The last fatal shooting by Birmingham police happened in February of 2022, when 27-year-old Keleen Rashad Connell was killed in the 4300 block of Morris Avenue in the Avondale area. That shooting was ruled justifiable by the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.
“No officer wants to be involved in this situation so our officers work hard to see if there’s ways to deescalate or solve issues another way,’’ Thurmond said.
“Unfortunately, sometimes officers are forced into situations where there are no other options and that appears that may have been the situation tonight.”
