Community activist calls for action after Birmingham shooting that left teen dead and child injured

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WIAT) – A teenage bystander was killed in a senseless act of violence that shocked the people of Birmingham on Wednesday.

A 15-year-old girl was shot and her five-year-old little brother is in the hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg. The pregnant mother was unharmed but was also examined in the hospital.

Birmingham police report the suspect in custody was shot at her home at the Park Place Apartment.

Just hours after the situation cleared up, families were playing basketball on the courts and having barbecues in the park.

“Nobody is shocked,” said community activist Harry “Traveling Shoes” Turner. “It’s just the fact that it happened again and this time it was closer to me.”

Although Turner did not know the family personally, he burst into tears when he heard the news and then came to the community to check on the neighbors.

“I wish people would just walk away,” Turner said. “Get in your car. Walk away. Bite your fingers, bite your fingernails until that spirit of anger, that spirit of murder, leaves you. But that’s not happening.”

Anthony Roseman has lived in Central City his entire life and never imagined something like this would happen in his neighborhood.

“Ever since this law was passed allowing the carrying of a gun, anyone can carry a gun,” Roseman said. “One murder after another. One retaliation after another. It doesn’t make sense.”

Roseman was also convinced that the community seemed largely unmoved by the crime.

“How could they have fun in a situation like that?” Roseman said. “Especially on a day when babies were being killed so close by. It’s just sad.”

BPD Chief Scott Thurmond called Wednesday’s shooting abhorrent and said it was ridiculous that such things continue to happen in the city.

“It’s just unbelievable, it’s just senseless and we have to watch this continue in our city,” said Chief Thurmond. “It’s just very sad.”