A massive manhunt is underway as police search for those responsible for a mass shooting that killed four people in Alabama overnight.
Shots were fired shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday in Birmingham’s Five Points South entertainment district outside the Hush hookah and cigar bar, injuring at least 18 other people.
Two men and a woman died at the scene in the 2000 block of Magnolia Avenue, near the University of Alabama, while a fourth male victim died at the hospital.
Police believe several gunmen are responsible for the horrific mass shooting, but as of Sunday morning no suspects have been arrested.
The shooting is believed not to have been random and was an isolated incident in which several victims were caught in the crossfire.
An additional 18 shooting victims were identified and treated at local hospitals.
Birmingham police officer Truman Fitzgerald (pictured) said the gunman either approached the victims or drove past.
Birmingham Police Department vehicles near the scene where several people were shot Saturday night
Detectives are investigating whether the gunmen, who are still on the loose, approached the victims or drove by, Officer Truman Fitzgerald said.
“Rest assured that we will do everything in our power to uncover, identify and hunt down whoever is responsible for attacking our people,” Fitzgerald added.
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with information is asked to call the Birmingham Police Department’s Homicide Division directly at 205-254-1764.
An additional 18 shooting victims were identified and treated at local hospitals with injuries ranging from non-life-threatening to life-threatening.
The University of Alabama Hospital at Birmingham is treating 11 of the victims, said Hannah Echols, a hospital spokeswoman. CNN.
“We have dozens of gunshot victims in this area,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m told at least four of those gunshot victims are in life-threatening condition, the others have various injuries.”
Streets have been blocked off in the surrounding area as police continue their investigation into the incident.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as police worked to contain the area and assist victims.
Two men and a woman died at the scene in the 2000 block of Magnolia Avenue, near the University of Alabama, while a fourth victim died at the hospital.
Fitzgerald said local authorities have contacted the FBI and ATF for assistance.
Birmingham Police have asked businesses in the area to provide any surveillance footage they may have and have asked the public to contact them with any relevant information.
Five Points South is a popular area known for its nightlife venues near the University of Alabama at Birmingham campus.
Fitzgerald said mass shootings “have more to do with culture than crime,” adding that “we’re seeing too many arguments that end with gunfire.”
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as police worked to contain the area and assist victims.
“I walked over as he was finishing up, because everyone was screaming, there were people crying,” Dajon Singleton said. WVTM.
Police believe Glock switches were used in the shooting. These devices allow the user to switch between semi-automatic and fully automatic mode when placed on the back of a Glock.
Shots were fired outside the Hush cigar and shisha lounge (pictured) in Birmingham as people waited to get in
Two men and a woman died at the scene in the 2000 block of Magnolia Avenue in the Five Points South area (pictured) near the University of Alabama.
“Glock gun switches are the number one public safety issue in our city and state. While they are illegal under federal law, there is no state law that makes them illegal,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said Sunday.
“Every mayor, police chief, sheriff and district attorney I know wants to ban Glock switches. Turning a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic weapon that fires all rounds in a matter of seconds is not something that belongs on our streets.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the ATF have partnered with Birmingham’s police chief and mayor to launch Operation Flip the Switch, a program to get Glock switches off the streets, according to reports. WVTM.
“Where we used to see a dozen or less shell casings at a scene, we’re now seeing 75 to 100 or even more than 100 at a crime scene, because as you’ll see later, we’re going to see very soon how quickly these bullets are being fired from these weapons,” said Chief Scott Thurmond.
“These weapons can do a lot of damage very quickly. As the ATF just said, there is no place for these things in our city, our state or our country.”
There have been more than 400 mass shootings across the United States this year, according to Archive of armed violencewhich defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people are injured or killed.
Enterprise High School and Enterprise Career and Technology Center in Alabama were placed on lockdown after ammunition was found on campus on Sept. 5.
The closure came after the bloodbath in Apalachee, which left nine more people injured in addition to the four fatalities.
‘Glock switches’ (pictured) are modifications that transform pistols into fully automatic weapons.
Students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Christina Irimie, 53, and Richard Aspinwall, 39, were identified as the victims.
Suspected gunman Colt Gray, 14, has been charged with murder.
Three people were killed and at least 12 injured in southwest Alabama after a May Day party turned violent.
Andre Reid of the Baldwin County Investigation Division said: WALA-TV that about 1,000 people were attending the celebration near Stockton on May 11 when an altercation broke out and gunfire erupted.
Reid said most of the victims were “young people” but there was no immediate information available on whether any arrests had been made.
“According to witnesses, the event was proceeding peacefully until an argument broke out, which resulted in at least one subject firing multiple shots into the large crowd,” Reid said.
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