2007 Birmingham homicides: Difference between revisions

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This is a '''List of Birmingham homicides in 2007'''. It includes homicide cases occuring within the city limits during the calendar year. Note that a "homicide" refers to the cause of death as determined by a medical examiner, not to the commission of the crime of murder as charged by police and prosecutors.  
This is a '''List of Birmingham homicides in 2007'''. It includes homicide cases occuring within the city limits during the calendar year. Note that a "homicide" refers to the cause of death as determined by a medical examiner, not to the commission of the crime of murder as charged by police and prosecutors.  


With 18 homicides up to April 12, the city is on pace for 64 in [[2007]]. If that trend were to hold true, the homicide rate for the city of Birmingham, based on the 2005 census estimate of 231,483 population, would be 27.7 homicides per 100,000 population for the year. Birmingham had 109 homicides in [[List of Birmingham homicides in 2006|2006]], 105 in [[List of Birmingham homicides in 2005|2005]], and a record of 141 in [[List of Birmingham homicides in 1994|1994]].  
With 19 homicides up to April 13, the city is on pace for 67 in [[2007]]. If that trend were to hold true, the homicide rate for the city of Birmingham, based on the 2005 census estimate of 231,483 population, would be 28.9 homicides per 100,000 population for the year. Birmingham had 109 homicides in [[List of Birmingham homicides in 2006|2006]], 105 in [[List of Birmingham homicides in 2005|2005]], and a record of 141 in [[List of Birmingham homicides in 1994|1994]].  


Birmingham is averaging 5.3 homicides per month, or one every 5.7 days. There were 8 homicides in January, and 4 each in February and March. The longest stretch without a homicide was between February 26 and March 22.
Birmingham is averaging 5.5 homicides per month, or one every 5.4 days. There were 8 homicides in January, and 4 each in February and March. The longest stretch without a homicide was between February 26 and March 22.


Of the 18 recorded homicides, suspects have been reported identified in at least 11 cases, apprehended in 9, and charged in 7. One incident was a police shooting, which is under investigation.
Of the 19 recorded homicides, suspects have been reported identified in at least 11 cases, apprehended in 9, and charged in 7. One incident was a police shooting, which is under investigation.


==Listing by date==
==Listing by date==
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# [[April 7]]: Brandon Reid, 18, shot on 800 block of [[Graymont Avenue]] ({{Locate_address_inline | address = 800+Graymont+Ave+W}}). He was taken to [[UAB Hospital]] where he later died. [http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2007/04/slaying_victim_identified_as_b.html]
# [[April 7]]: Brandon Reid, 18, shot on 800 block of [[Graymont Avenue]] ({{Locate_address_inline | address = 800+Graymont+Ave+W}}). He was taken to [[UAB Hospital]] where he later died. [http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2007/04/slaying_victim_identified_as_b.html]
# [[April 6]]: William G. Bishop, 56, died from blunt force trauma after fighting with William James Johnson, 59 in a wooded area at [[8th Avenue North]] and [[Carraway Boulevard]] ({{Locate_address_inline | address = 8000+Carraway+Blvd}}). Both men were homeless. Johnson has been arrested and charged with murder. [http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2007/04/transient_charged_in_homeless.html]
# [[April 6]]: William G. Bishop, 56, died from blunt force trauma after fighting with William James Johnson, 59 in a wooded area at [[8th Avenue North]] and [[Carraway Boulevard]] ({{Locate_address_inline | address = 8000+Carraway+Blvd}}). Both men were homeless. Johnson has been arrested and charged with murder. [http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2007/04/transient_charged_in_homeless.html]
# [[April 12]]: Unnamed man shot in his car at [[21st Street North]] and [[31st Avenue North]], then crashed at 31st and [[20th Street North]] ({{Locate_address_inline | address = 3100+21st+Street+N}}). He was pronounced dead at [[Physicians Medical Center Carraway]]. [http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2007/04/birmingham_police_find_man_sho.html]


==Responses==
==Responses==

Revision as of 23:09, 12 April 2007

This is a List of Birmingham homicides in 2007. It includes homicide cases occuring within the city limits during the calendar year. Note that a "homicide" refers to the cause of death as determined by a medical examiner, not to the commission of the crime of murder as charged by police and prosecutors.

With 19 homicides up to April 13, the city is on pace for 67 in 2007. If that trend were to hold true, the homicide rate for the city of Birmingham, based on the 2005 census estimate of 231,483 population, would be 28.9 homicides per 100,000 population for the year. Birmingham had 109 homicides in 2006, 105 in 2005, and a record of 141 in 1994.

Birmingham is averaging 5.5 homicides per month, or one every 5.4 days. There were 8 homicides in January, and 4 each in February and March. The longest stretch without a homicide was between February 26 and March 22.

Of the 19 recorded homicides, suspects have been reported identified in at least 11 cases, apprehended in 9, and charged in 7. One incident was a police shooting, which is under investigation.

Listing by date

  1. January 1: Wyteria Rogers, 20, found shot in car on 200 block of 93rd Street North (map). Gregory Johnson, 20, charged with murder. [1]
  2. January 1: Lavaughn Fortune, 34, victim of drive-by shooting at King City Food Mart at Warrior Road and Avenue P in Ensley (map). No arrest. [2]
  3. January 11: Michael Elmore, 33, stabbed at his apartment at 2341 8th Street Northwest ( Sun Valley Apartments) (map) after an altercation. Neighbor Nathaniel Gordon, 44, was taken into custody at the scene and later charged with murder. [3]
  4. January 19: Alberto Jackson, 39, shot by police during a confrontation on the 4100 block of 5th Court North in the Tom Brown Housing Community (map). He was taken to UAB Hospital and pronounced dead on the operating table. The Alabama Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the incident and the officer involved was placed on administrative leave. [4]
  5. January 20: Unidentified shooting victim found in burning car at Appalachee Street and 11th Avenue North (map). Artago Wilson, 26, of Ensley has been arrested and charged with murder. [5]
  6. January 24: Deston Lyons, 24, found in back yard of apartment building at 609 8th Street West (map). No arrest. [6]
  7. January 26: Aubrey Graham, 42, shot on 4600 block of Carver Avenue in Hillman Park (map). Suspect arrested, but not yet charged. [7]
  8. January 31: Patrick Grayson, 37, found shot on 2900 block of S. J. Bennett Drive in Wenonah (map). No arrest. [8]
  9. February 6: Wendell Ray Austin, 44, found in back yard on 2700 block of 29th Place Ensley in the Fairview neighborhood (map). Travis Griffin, 18, was arrested and charged with murder. [9]
  10. February 8: Donald Brookins, 25, shot in a mid-day gunfight at 2218 Avenue I Ensley. (map). Morris Thomas, 21, has been charged with murder and remains at large. [10]
  11. February 9: Ronald Smith, Jr, 19, shot at 2948 Gallant Drive in Apple Valley (map) . Kevin DeWayne Lane was taken into custody and charged with capital murder. [11]
  12. February 26: Joseph Van McGhee, 26, confined to a wheelchair after a previous gunshot wound, was hit by a shot intended for his cousin while visiting his cousin's home on the 400 block of Princeton Avenue (map). McGhee was pronounced dead at UAB Hospital. [12]
  13. March 22: Bryant Mason, 19, shot on the front porch of 7418 1st Avenue South in Eastlake (map). Mason later died at UAB Hospital. No arrest. [13]
  14. March 27: Martin Speights, 46, shot in car, found after crashing into utility pole at a parking lot on the 1200 block of Bankhead Highway in Thomas. (map). [14]
  15. March 27: Canoard Norris, 21, shot in car in parking lot of Triple T's Food Store at 2517 Bush Boulevard in Ensley (map). No arrest. [15]
  16. March 30: Darryontae Plummer, 22, shot at 86th Place North and 86th Way in Zion City (map). Another man was injured in the same shooting. Brandon Varner, 21 and Roy Seals, 20, have been arrested in connection with the incident. [16]
  17. April 7: Brandon Reid, 18, shot on 800 block of Graymont Avenue (map). He was taken to UAB Hospital where he later died. [17]
  18. April 6: William G. Bishop, 56, died from blunt force trauma after fighting with William James Johnson, 59 in a wooded area at 8th Avenue North and Carraway Boulevard (map). Both men were homeless. Johnson has been arrested and charged with murder. [18]
  19. April 12: Unnamed man shot in his car at 21st Street North and 31st Avenue North, then crashed at 31st and 20th Street North (map). He was pronounced dead at Physicians Medical Center Carraway. [19]

Responses

Carole Smitherman, President of the Birmingham City Council proposed increasing staffing for the Narcotics and Vice Units of the Birmingham Police Department as an effort to reduce drug activity, which is thought to be a primary factor in the homicide rate. Mayor Bernard Kincaid replied that the size of those departments is already ideal, and was praised in a recent accreditation review. (Bryant - Jan 12, 2007)

The Council's Public Safety Committee met with John Sloan, Chair of the UAB Department of Justice Sciences, to discuss remedies for the city's crime rate which could be recommended to the Mayor and Police Chief Annetta Nunn. Sloan discussed steps the city of Boston took in the early 1990s to reduce homicide, which started with a detailed analysis of case data. Also at the meeting were Jefferson County Medical Examiner Robert Brissie, who reported that 41% of victims had drugs in their system and called the "drug mess" a "serious, serious problem." Nunn, also in attendence, brought the Council's attention to a 1997 crime reduction plan which has never been fully implemented. (Bryant - Jan 18)

On January 23, the mayor and council endorsed Sloan's study and approved spending as much as $150,000 to have Sloan's department study police records and re-interview suspects, witnesses and family members. Councilor Joel Montgomery expressed the council's decision that the 1997 crime plan was "absolutely irrelevant to what's going on now." (Bryant - Jan 24)

References

  • 2007 Press Releases from Birmingham Police Department
  • Bryant, Joseph D. (January 12, 2007) "Smitherman says homicides linked to drugs." Birmingham News.
  • Bryant, Joseph D. (January 18, 2007) "Council wants data on city's homicides." Birmingham News.
  • Bryant, Joseph D. (January 24, 2007) "Homicides focus of $150,000 plan." Birmingham News.
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