2017 Birmingham homicides
This is a List of Birmingham homicides in 2017. 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.
11 homicides have been reported in the city as of February 8, putting the city on pace for 103 for the year. Based on the 2015 census estimate of 212,461 population, that would represent 48.5 homicides per 100,000 residents. Birmingham had 104 homicides in 2016 and a record low of 62 homicides in 2014. The recent record high was 141 in 1992. At this time in 2016 there had been 10 homicides reported.
The city has averaged 78.6 homicides per month, or one every 3.5 days. There were 7 incidents in January and 4 so far in February. The longest stretch without a homicide was the 14 days between January 11 and 25. One violent death was reported on a Sunday, 1 on a Monday, 4 on Tuesdays, 1 on a Wednesday, 2 on Thursdays, none on Fridays and 2 on Saturdays.
Of the 11 reported homicides, 1 has been ruled justifiable by prosecutors. The police department therefore acknowledges 10 chargeable homicides, one of which was charged as manslaughter and the remaining 9 considered murders. Suspects have been identified in 6 of those cases, apprehended in 6, and charged in 4.
Ten deaths so far have resulted from shootings and one was caused by stabbing. At least six incidents occurred on the streets, two inside homes, one at a business, and one at an apartment complex. Six were reported in the West Precinct, three in the East Precinct, one in the South Precinct and one in the North Precinct. One death began as a domestic argument, another from an ongoing grudge, one victim was killed by a stray bullet, two murders took place during attempted robberies, and the motive is unknown in five other cases. Nine victims were male and two were female.
Listing by date
- January 2: Christina Anderson, 30, of Hoover died from a gunshot wound suffered the previous evening while she was walking with another person on the 800 block of Center Street North in Smithfield. She was driven to Princeton Baptist Medical Center and later transferred to UAB Hospital where she died Monday morning. No arrest. (report)
- January 3: Randale Lamar Oden, 34, a Bessemer resident previously charged with operating an illegal casino, was shot to death outside a unit at The Oaks Apartments on Earline Circle in the Spring Lake neighborhood. He had been fighting with an ex-girlfriend and followed her to the residence of an acquaintance of hers. Oden was killed in the resulting fight with the acquaintance. The shooter was taken into custody, but was not charged after officials determined the homicide was justifiable. (report)
- January 11: Rashiem Hakiem Porter, 26, was shot to death during a fight in the parking lot of the Best Convenience Store on Pearson Avenue at 17th Place Southwest in Oakwood Place. Joshua Louis Cowans of Hueytown was arrested and charged with capital murder. (report)
- January 25: Decarlos Jordan, 39, was shot to death as he left a friend's house on the 4900 block of Court I in Belview Heights. No arrest. (report)
- January 29: The remains of Derek Washington, 23, missing since April 3, 2015, were found by a squirrel hunter in the vicinity of a vacant home on Wood Avenue in the Booker Heights community of unincorporated Jefferson County. The investigation was turned over to the Birmingham Police Department because they had investigated the missing person report and there was evidence the homicide took place in the city. No arrest. (report)
- January 31: Andreas Kashif Brown, 33, was killed by a stray bullet during a shootout in Gate City. He was found on the 7500 block of 64th Court South. Both shooters fled and no arrests have been made. (report)
- January 31: Juzharis Quintez Webb, 17, was shot to death on the 3200 block of Cedar Avenue Southwest while walking home from Wenonah High School. Monsure Davis and ShaQuon Edwards were arrested after fleeing from the suspect vehicle, which was stolen. Davis, who had argued with Webb over a girl, is the suspected shooter and was charged with capital murder. Edwards was charged with first-degree theft. (report)
- February 2: Antwon Hawkins, 37, was shot to death on the 4100 block of 5th Court North in the Tom Brown Village housing project in North Avondale. No arrest. (report)
- February 4: Curtis Lee Johnson, 48, died at St Vincent's East two days after being found with stab wounds at a friend's house on the 8000 block of 1st Avenue South in South East Lake. A woman he had been dating, Kewunci Tyrese Bailey, was arrested and charged with reckless manslaughter. (report)
- February 4: Cassandra "San" Cherry, 55, was shot to death inside her home on the 600 block of Goldwire Place in South Titusville. Henry Gosha turned himself in to police later the same day. He was charged with capital murder because he broke into Cherry's apartment. (report)
- February 7: Isaiah Johnson, 17, was shot to death in an alley behind LIV Parkside and collapsed on 2nd Avenue South between 17th and 18th Streets in the Five Points South neighborhood. The shooting took place during an attempted illegal gun sale. No arrest. (report)
- February 8: An unnamed male was found shot to death, and two others wounded, in a unit of the El Morado Apartments at 1341 Princeton Avenue Southwest in Arlington-West End. No arrest. (report)