Tuscaloosa Police Look For Answers in Shooting
Tuscaloosa Police Look for Answers in Shooting
Tuscaloosa’s police chief says yesterday’s shooting in a downtown bar may have involved a dispute between rival motorcycle gangs. Chief Steve Anderson says the suspect, 44-year old Nathan Van Wilkins (pictured above), turned himself in yesterday afternoon. At least 17 people were hurt in the incident, many wounded by bullets that ricocheted through the bar or by glass shards and brick chunks that fell around the nightclub. Van Wilkin has been linked to other incidents. Authorities say he also allegedly shot someone at a private home about 45 minutes before the bar shooting and is suspected of setting fire to equipment and property owned by his former employer, an oil and gas company. There are signs Wilkins’ life was unraveling. He divorced his wife of 16 years in 2005, and last year a credit union tried to garnish he wages but couldn’t because he’d declared bankruptcy. For more on the shooting, click here.
In other news:
More fireworks in the Birmingham Board of Education. At last night’s meeting, board members defied explicit state orders and voted to fire superintendent Craig Witherspoon. Board member Tyrone Belcher voted in favor of firing Witherspoon. He wondered why the state board of education is meddling in Birmingham City Schools and not in other districts that have recently fired their superintendents.
After the vote, the man who leads the state intervention team stood up to object, but the board president told him he was out of order and couldn’t speak. The president then called on security guards to intervene. WBHM’s Dan Carsen caught up with Deputy State Superintendent Craig Pouncey after the meeting.
State Schools Superintendent Tommy Bice immediately rescinded the Birmingham board’s vote to fire Witherspoon, but many school district employees say they’re very confused about who they actually report to. For a blow-by-blow of last night’s meeting, as well as background on how the situation developed, see Dan Carsen’s full-length story.
July 18, 2012
Jordan Stolz opens his bid for 4 golds by winning the 1,000 meters in speedskating
Stolz received his gold for winning the men's 1,000 meters at the Milan Cortina Games in an Olympic-record time thanks to a blistering closing stretch. Now Stolz will hope to add to his collection of trophies.
How the FBI might have gotten inaccessible camera footage from Nancy Guthrie’s house
Last week, law enforcement said video footage from Nancy Guthrie's doorbell camera was overwritten. But the FBI has since released footage as Guthrie still has not been found.
How to hone your ‘friendship intuition’
Friendship expert Kat Vellos shares tips on how to make a new friendship stick, including what to do together, how often to hang out — and what to do if the vibes just aren't there.
US Colleges received more than $5 billion in foreign gifts, contracts in 2025
New data from the U.S. Education Department show the extent of international gifts and contracts to colleges and universities.
Free speech lawsuits mount after Charlie Kirk assassination
Months after the killing of Charlie Kirk, a growing number of lawsuits by people claim they were illegally punished, fired and even arrested for making negative comments about Kirk.
Swing voters in Arizona say they want to see ICE reformed
Concerns about the tactics of federal immigration agents remain front of mind for some key voters who supported President Trump in 2024.
