Two women were reportedly killed early Monday morning when gunshots broke out outside an emergency room in Birmingham, Alabama, while others who had been wounded were making their way there for treatment.
Local news reported that the gunshot occurred outside UAB Hospital after 2 a.m. The emergency room was locked down, and police cordoned off the surrounding area.
Markiezia Atkins, 24, and Chaveda Willis, 33, have been named as the deceased victims by authorities. Atkins, Willis, and a man were found by police to have entered UAB Hospital in a private car with what appeared to be gunshot wounds. He was critically injured.
When police got to UAB Hospital, they discovered that two additional individuals had been shot and brought in by private car. The women were hospitalized with serious but treatable wounds.
Officials and witnesses said a light-colored Chevrolet Tahoe brought victims of a shooting to the hospital’s emergency door.
A fight at Aria Restaurant and Lounge on Fifth Avenue North is thought to have prompted the shooting.
After 2 a.m., another car appeared and began firing on the Tahoe as it arrived at UAB. Multiple gunshots were reportedly heard by onlookers. Gunshots struck a UAB police car and the hospital’s window.
According to Truman Fitzgerald of the Birmingham Police Department, at least five persons were shot in the first incident.
At least a pair of suspects opened fire on victims as they approached the hospital, according to the police. Fitzgerald said that although a lot of the victims may have been unintentional bystanders, the police deemed the act to be a targeted assault.
Birmingham now has 91 murder victims for the year, including Atkins and Willis. The 91 murders in Birmingham are part of a total of 127 in Jefferson County.
There has been no arrest made in connection with the incident.
The BPD Homicide Unit may be reached at (205) 254-1764, and Crime Stoppers can be reached at (205) 254-7777 if anybody has any information on this case.
