2021 Birmingham homicides
This is a List of Birmingham homicides in 2021. It includes homicide cases occurring 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.
7 homicides have been reported in the city as of January 21, putting the city on pace for 122 for the year. Based on the 2018 census estimate of 209,400 population, that represents a homicide rate of 58.3 homicides per 100,000 residents. Birmingham had 124 homicides in 2020. The recent record low of 62 homicides was set in 2014, and the recent record high was 141 in 1992. At this point last year, 7 homicides had been reported.
The city has averaged 10.3 homicides per month, or one every 3.0 days. There were 7 incidents so far in January. The longest stretch without a homicide was the 8-day span between January 3 and 11. 3 deaths were reported on Sundays, 2 on Mondays, 0 on Tuesdays, 0 on Wednesdays, 0 on Thursdays, 1 on a Friday, and 0 on Saturdays.
One homicide was a police-involved shooting. None of the other reported homicides were ruled justifiable as self-defense by investigators or prosecutors, and none resulted from reckless driving. The police department therefore acknowledges 6 chargeable homicides, none of which were charged as manslaughter. Suspects have been identified in 3 cases, arrested in 2 and charged in 1. One other death that resulted from a shooting in Pinson is being investigated by Birmingham police.
4 deaths so far have resulted from shootings, and 3 from unannounced causes. 1 incident occurred at a private home, 1 at an apartment complex, 1 at a park, and 4 on the streets. 3 were reported in the West Precinct, 3 in the East Precinct, 0 in the South Precinct and 1 in the North Precinct.
One homicide took place in self defense. The motive is unknown in 6 deaths.
7 victims were male and none were female.
Listing by date
- January 1: Carl Misenrendino III, 35, was found dead on the side of a house on the 4000 block of 40th Avenue North in Inglenook. No arrest. (report)
- January 2: Chong Ku Hwang, 56, known to be a transient, was found dead in the southern part of Linn Park in Central City. No arrest. (report)
- January 3: Brian Keith Fleming, 52, was found shot to death on a walk near the apartment building at 2108 Warrior Road in Ensley Highlands. A 17-year-old suspect was charged with murder. (report)
- January 11: LaCorey Lashard McDonald, 31, died at St Vincent's East from wounds suffered in an assault in Zion City. No arrest. (report)
- January 17: Timothy Hall, 39, was found dead from gunshot wounds in a car abandoned behind the Shell gas station at 3833 East Lake Boulevard in Inglenook. The shooting occurred earlier on the 200 block of 62nd Street South in South Woodlawn. Lawrence Earl Eaton turned himself in to police. (report)
- January 18: Kenneth Buford, 47, was shot to death while driving on the 1400 block of Bankhead Highway in Thomas. The suspects were reported to have fired from a pickup truck. No arrest. (report)
- January 20: An unnamed male died from gunshot wounds suffered during a shootout with police on the 600 block of Center Place Southwest in South Titusville. The incident is being reviewed by the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation. (report)
Responses
Paul Hollman, pastor of Mount Mariah Baptist Church, called on Mayor Randall Woodfin to declare a state of emergency over the city's homicide rate. His church has sponsored billboards with the message "Let’s Build. Not Kill! Reset 2021," and launched "Citizens Against Killings" campaign.
See also
References
- Robinson, Carol (January 4, 2021) "Birmingham pastor says killings ‘out of control, unacceptable,’ calls for state of emergency." The Birmingham News