2022 Birmingham homicides
This is a List of Birmingham homicides in 2022. 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 7, putting the city on pace for 106 for the year. Based on the 2020 census count of 200,733 population, that represents a homicide rate of 52.8 homicides per 100,000 residents. Birmingham had 141 homicides in 2021. The recent record low of 62 homicides was set in 2014, and the recent record high was 148 in 1992. At this point last year, 12 homicides had been reported.
The city has averaged 8.8 homicides per month, or one every 3.5 days. There were 10 incidents in January and 1 so far in February. The longest stretch without a homicide was the 14-day span between January 14–28. 0 deaths were reported on Sundays, 0 on Mondays, 2 on Tuesdays, 1 on a Wednesday, 0 on Thursdays, 3 on Fridays, and 5 on Saturdays.
One of the reported homicides was ruled justifiable as self-defense by investigators or prosecutors. In that case murder charges were filed against an accomplice of the homicide victim rather than the shooter. None resulted from reckless driving. With the exception of those, the police department acknowledges 10 chargeable homicides, none of which were charged as manslaughter. Suspects have been identified in 2 cases, arrested in 2 and charged in 2.
11 deaths so far have resulted from shootings. 2 incidents occurred at apartment complexes, 1 at a home, 1 at a business, 2 at private parking lots, and 5 on the streets. 6 deaths were reported in the West Precinct, 1 in the East Precinct, 2 in the South Precinct and 2 in the North Precinct.
Two deaths came during altercations, 5 appeared to have been targeted assaults, one was carried out in self-defense, and one came from a stray bullet. The motive in 2 other deaths has not been publicized.
9 victims were male and 2 were female.
Listing by date
- January 1: Fernando Jose Cruz-Soto, 20, died at UAB Hospital after being found shot in a parking lot after a reported early morning fight on the 300 block of 24th Street South in the Southside neighborhood. No arrest. (report)
- January 1: Timothy Dean Pinson, 32, was found shot to death in a car at the Vida on Valley apartments on the 800 block of Cable Car Court off Valley Avenue in Glen Iris. No arrest. (report)
- January 4: Michelle Kemp Gilder, 40, was shot to death in a vehicle on Treadwell Road near Tarrant-Huffman Road, along the northern fenceline of Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport property in Brownsville Heights. A male passenger in the same car was grazed by a bullet. No arrest. (report)
- January 4: Leeco Whittington, 24, died at UAB Hospital from gunshot wounds suffered during an assault at the Citgo gas station at 36 South Park Road Southwest in Central Park. Two suspects fled in a silver sedan. No arrests. (report)
- January 7: William Kenneth Kennard, 57, was found shot to death and burned near the intersection of Birmingport Road and Slayden Avenue in Sherman Heights. No arrest. (report)
- January 8: Ed Franklin Harris, 49, was shot to death while riding a motorcycle at 16th Way Southwest and Matt Leonard Drive at the border of Powderly and Mason City. Multiple suspects abandoned a vehicle at the scene and fled on foot. No arrests. A person of interest was questioned but not charged. (report)
- January 8: Yasmine Wright, 16, was struck and killed by a bullet from the same shooting.
- January 12: De'Undray Nakil Haggard, 18, was shot to death on the 2900 block of John Bryan Road in the Kimbrough Homes public housing project in the Industrial Center neighborhood. No arrest. (report)
- January 14: Richard Spence, 56, died at Princeton Baptist Medical Center of a gunshot wound suffered during an argument at a nearby house on the 800 block of 7th Street Southwest in Arlington-West End. Clearence Speed Jr was arrested and charged with capital murder. Speed was later also charged with the 2021 murder of 2-year-old Major Turner in Wenonah. (report)
- January 28: Javarius Reid, 17, was shot to death on the 2900 block of 16th Street North outside the ACIPCO plant. Investigators believe he was struck by crossfire as the car he was riding in passed near a gunfight. No arrest. (report)
- February 5: Chico Guest, 17, was shot to death by a parking lot attendant near the intersection of 10th Avenue North and 18th Street in Fountain Heights. Kambran Tremaine Young was also wounded in the shooting, that was ruled justified as self-defense during an attempted robbery. He was subsequently charged with felony murder as an accomplice in the crime that led to Guest's death. (report)