At least 2 dead and 12 injured after shooting in downtown Montgomery, Alabama, police say

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Multiple gunmen opened fire in a large crowd in downtown Montgomery, Alabama, leaving at least two people dead, including a teenage boy, and wounding a dozen others, authorities said.

Montgomery Police Chief James Graboys said gunfire erupted around 11:30 p.m. local time Saturday in the city’s nightlife district. Police believe one of the victims was targeted but that several people began firing in the densely crowded area after initial shots rang out.

“One individual got targeted and then an exchange of gunfire took place,” he said. “When that exchange erupted, multiple people in the crowd … pulled their own weapons and started discharging.”

Authorities identified the two dead victims as Jeremiah Morris, 17, and Shalanda Williams, 43, both of Montgomery. Of the injured, five had life-threatening injuries and seven had non-life-threatening injuries.

Seven of the victims are under 20 years of age, and the youngest is 16, Graboys said. Two of the injured people were armed.

Investigators were working to identify possible suspects. Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed and Montgomery City Council President Cornelius Calhoun pledged $50,000 for information leading to arrests. Central Alabama CrimeStoppers is also offering a $5,000 reward.

“We are bringing every resource to bear,” Graboys told reporters, adding that local authorities have been in contact with U.S. Marshals, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “We are not going to stop until we have this case solved.”

‘Senseless’ disagreement erupts into shooting

Reed said the shooting was not related to other events that were going on downtown or in other parts of the city over the weekend.

The incident happened on a busy night in the city’s tourist district, shortly after a football game between Tuskegee University and Morehouse College. The game was played at Cramton Bowl, about a mile away from the shooting.

The city debuted a Ferris wheel and other downtown attractions in conjunction with the game. It was also opening weekend for the Alabama National Fair and homecoming for Alabama State University. Alabama State defeated Bethune-Cookman with about 25,000 people attending the game, according to the university.

There was a large group standing on the sidewalk near a business when the incident started, Graboys said. The Montgomery Police Department had additional officers on duty in downtown and in several other parts of the city due to the activities going on at the time.

The shooting was caused “by a disagreement that could have been avoided, should have been avoided,” Reed said.

“This was a senseless situation,” and the shooter “could have walked away,” Graboys said. “A bullet, once fired, does not come back.”

Police chief: Firearms had ‘high magazine capacities’

Officials said law enforcement officers from multiple agencies were within running distance of the shooting. Responding officers rushed at least one victim to the hospital and took multiple people into “investigative custody,” including several who were armed, Graboys said.

Authorities have not said whether anyone has been charged in connection with the shooting. There were several people who were being interviewed, but no arrests had been made Sunday afternoon.

Investigators at the scene discovered multiple weapons they believe were used in the deadly gunfight. All of the firearms had “high magazine capacities,” Graboys said.

Reed called the shooting an “atrocity” and urged people with any knowledge about the incident to contact law enforcement.

Police are also reviewing surveillance footage, as well as combing through videos posted on social media. Investigators ask anyone with video of the shooting and its aftermath to send it to starcenter@montgomeryal.gov.

“Innocent people were harmed last night, and most were just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said. “This could have been any one of us.”