Four Dead, Over 20 Injured in Alabama Mass Shooting

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Facts

  • Multiple shooters killed at least four people and injured 21 in the Five Points South, one of the most popular entertainment districts of Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday evening.[1]
  • According to the Birmingham Police Department, 'multiple shooters fired multiple shots on a group of people' on Magnolia Avenue just after 11 pm local time.[2][3]
  • Birmingham Fire and Rescue found the bodies of two men and one woman with multiple gunshot wounds at the scene, while a third man later died in hospital. At least four people have suffered life-threatening injuries.[4][5]
  • Though police have yet to identify and apprehend the shooters, they believe the shooting 'stemmed from an isolated incident where multiple victims were caught in the crossfire.'[6][4]
  • Detectives, including from the FBI, are working to identify the intended target of the shooting, determine whether the gunmen walked up to the victims or drove by, and probe if the assailants were using switches, which allow firearms to function as machine guns.[7][4]
  • Saturday night's shooting is the second mass shooting in the city in 2024. According to the Gun Violence Archive, the US has seen over 400 mass shootings so far this year.[7][1]

Sources: [1]New York Post, [2]BBC News, [3]FOX News, [4]CBS, [5]CNN, [6]NBC and [7]Independent.

Narratives

  • Left narrative, as provided by New York Times. While the police are trying to catch the attackers and find the motive behind this shooting, there is just one argument that rings true: someone dangerous, probably a convicted felon, had access to a gun. This criminal behavior will not end until the rules around owning a deadly firearm are hardened or the broad legal immunity granted to the gun industry is withdrawn.
  • Right narrative, as provided by The Hill. The US doesn't have a gun problem; it has a gang and drug problem. Mass shootings aren't about gun control or gun violence. They have more to do with culture than criminality. Gun control just makes law-abiding citizens unarmed victims. One way to potentially save lives is to focus on developing smart guns that prevent indiscriminate, violent use by unauthorized people.

Predictions