4 dead, 17 injured in targeted shooting in US' Birmingham

By Dilara Hamit

Four people were killed and 17 others injured late Saturday evening after multiple shooters opened fire in Birmingham, the US state of Alabama. Police now believe the incident was a targeted "hit," leaving several victims unintentionally caught in the crossfire.

The attack in the bustling Five Points South entertainment district occurred around midnight when multiple individuals arrived in the area, exited their vehicle, and began firing before fleeing the scene, Birmingham Times cited Police Chief Scott Thurmond as saying during a Sunday briefing.

The Birmingham Police Department, in collaboration with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, is investigating the shooting. Authorities have yet to identify or arrest any suspects and are urging anyone with information to come forward.

A police news release indicated that the shooters likely used illegal machine gun conversion devices, which modify semi-automatic firearms to function as fully automatic weapons, allowing continuous fire with a single trigger pull. The use of such devices, which are classified as illegal machine guns by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), has been a growing concern in the region.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin condemned the escalating gun violence, calling it an "epidemic." Police believe the shooters were hired to kill a specific target, with other victims caught in the crossfire. "Someone was willing to pay money to have that person killed," Chief Thurmond said.

Authorities are still working to identify the intended target and have called on the community to assist in the investigation.