A mass shooting in Montgomery, Alabama, over the weekend left two people dead and 14 injured, according to a report by WVTM 13. The violence erupted on Saturday evening at 11:30 p.m. CST near Bibb and Commerce Streets.
The incident began as a shootout between two groups in the middle of a crowd, resulting in the deaths of 17-year-old Jeremiah Morris and 43-year-old Shalanda Williams. Police believe one of the victims may have been targeted. According to WVTM, once the initial gunfire started, several other members of the crowd drew their own weapons and began shooting as well. The victims included several young people; seven of the injured were under the age of 20, with the youngest victim being 16 years old.
Montgomery officials were quick to emphasize that the shooting was not related to the major college football events taking place in the city, which included the Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic and the Alabama State University homecoming game. The city stressed this point to media outlets covering the shooting.
In a press conference captured by WSFA, Montgomery Police Chief James Grabois condemned the shooting and committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice.
“The people who did what they did, who are responsible for opening fire on each other like that, did not care about the people around them when they did it. And now we have 14 people who have been shot, two of them, like I stated earlier, deceased. We will not rest until we get you.”
Despite the tragic event, Mayor Steven Reed emphasized that downtown Montgomery remains a safe environment.
“I don't think downtown Montgomery is unsafe. I think we have careless and reckless people who did something very stupid last night that cost two people their lives and multiple people impacts on their lives.”
A $50,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the individuals involved in the incident.
