Authorities in Alabama announced a total reward of $100,000 on Monday for information about a mass shooting in Birmingham over the weekend that left four people dead and at least 17 injured.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said his primary goal now is to “track down, capture, arrest and convict” those responsible for Saturday night's violence outside a popular nightspot in the city's Five Points South neighborhood. As of Monday, no suspects had been arrested.
“We as a community cannot give safe spaces or hiding places to people who just want to kill people. We cannot give them a place to hide. They should not feel safe in our community. They should not feel safe anywhere,” Woodfin said at a news conference, urging the public to come forward with information. “Now is the time for you to step up. We need you.”
“You can't have weapons in your possession to get into the club, so it's easy to see that most of the people in line are likely unarmed, so this is not only a heinous act, but also one of the most despicable acts we've seen. These are cowards,” Woodfin continued.
The White House condemns the shooting in Alabama that left four dead and 17 injured in what police say was a “money-mongering” “attack.”
A firefighter wipes up blood stains on the sidewalk after a shooting at a nightclub in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sunday, September 22. (AP/Kim Chandler)
“To those who want to play detective on social media, to those who are out in the streets blaming police and others, now is the time to stand up, and do your part as a community member and you will be well rewarded,” he said.
The joint reward is being offered by the FBI and Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama.
Police Chief Scott Thurmond said at a news conference that police were still reviewing the report and that five of the injured people remained in hospital.
The shooting happened on the sidewalk and in the street outside the Hush Lounge, with blood stains still visible on the sidewalk Sunday morning, according to the Associated Press.
4 killed in shooting in Birmingham, Alabama
Police said they believe multiple gunmen began shooting in the city's Five Points South entertainment district just after 11pm on Saturday. (World BRC)
Mr Thurmond had previously said authorities believed the shooting was aimed at one of the people killed and appeared to be a murder-for-hire. He said a vehicle pulled up and “multiple gunmen” got out, opened fire and then fled the scene.
“Some of the people who have been killed have had criminal pasts,” Thurmond told reporters on Monday, “so a lot of it is motivated by other people, people paying to kill people, and that's part of what's happening.”
About 100 shell casings were recovered, police said. Thurmond said authorities were working to identify the weapons used but believed some of the shots were “fully automatic.” Investigators are also looking into whether anyone fired back, sparking a shootout.
Officers found two men and one woman on the sidewalk with gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead at the scene. A second man was also taken to a hospital with gunshot wounds and pronounced dead, police said.
Hush is a hookah lounge in Birmingham's Five Points neighborhood. (AP/Vasha Hunt)
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Police have identified the three victims found on the sidewalk as Anitra Holloman, 21, of the Birmingham suburb of Bessemer, Taj Booker, 27, of Birmingham, and Carlos McCain, 27, of Birmingham. The identity of the fourth victim has not yet been released.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
