Alabama man charged in September mass shooting faces more murder charges in July quadruple homicide
This photo released by the Birmingham Police Department, shows Damien McDaniel, 22, who is charged with capital murder in two separate quadruple homicides that took place in July and Sept., 2024.
By Safiyah Riddle
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama man charged with killing four people in September has now been charged with capital murder in a separate quadruple homicide that took place in July, according to law enforcement officials.
Damien McDaniel, 22, has been arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with the July 13 mass shooting outside of a nightclub in Birmingham that left four people dead and 10 others wounded, Officer Truman Fitzgerald announced at a press conference Tuesday evening. McDaniel is also accused of three separate fatal shootings that took place on three separate days in August and September.
Another man, Hatarius Woods, 27, was also charged with capital murder in connection with the July mass shooting.
“These individuals started back in July, and they did not stop from September,” said Fitzgerald. “We often say on these crime scenes that we have a few select criminals that add to this crime and give Birmingham a bad name.”
Woods and McDaniel are allegedly responsible for approximately 30% of all homicides that took place in the city between July and September, Fitzgerald said. Attorneys for Woods and McDaniel did not respond to emailed requests for comment.
Including the charges announced Tuesday, McDaniel is accused of killing 11 people and wounding 29 others in five separate incidents over two months — one of those charges is in connection with the Sept. 21 mass shooting outside of a different nightclub, where four people were fatally shot and 17 others injured.
Fitzgerald said on Tuesday that there were “multiple shooters” in the September mass shooting, and the investigation is ongoing. The September shooting was Birmingham’s third mass shooting of the year.
Birmingham surpassed the decades-long homicide record set in 2022 after a fatal shooting Sunday marked the 145th homicide in 2024.
In a 30-minute long video released Tuesday night, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin sat in front of a table with 145 guns on it to represent the number of homicides in the city since the beginning of the year. He implored state legislators to help him address the rampant gun violence across the city.
“Even if I give you more officers on our streets, people are still legally allowed to drive around with these types of guns,” Woodfin said, gesturing to the guns in front of him. Woodfin said he supported the Second Amendment but also wanted to let voters across the city decide whether to place more restrictions on gun permitting.
“If I was a betting man, I would believe the residents of Birmingham have had enough of this and want to see more gun safety laws in place that protect people in Birmingham, but that has to come from a level higher than me,” Woodfin said.
___
Safiyah Riddle is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Alabama regulators approve two-year electric rate freeze and two solar projects for a Meta data center
Critics say the rate freeze will only delay financial burdens on Alabama Power customers while preserving a high profit rate for the utility.
Auburn tabs USF’s Alex Golesh as its next coach, replacing Hugh Freeze on the Plains
The 41-year-old Golesh, who was born in Russia and moved to the United State at age 7, is signing a six-year contract that averages more than $7 million annually to replace Hugh Freeze. Freeze was fired in early November after failing to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three seasons on the Plains.
Alabama Power seeks to delay rate hike for new gas plant amid outcry
The state’s largest utility has proposed delaying the rate increase from its purchase of a $622 million natural gas plant until 2028.
Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones announces run for Alabama governor
Jones announced his campaign Monday afternoon, hours after filing campaign paperwork with the Secretary of State's Office. His gubernatorial bid could set up a rematch with U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the Republican who defeated Jones in 2020 and is now running for governor.
Scorching Saturdays: The rising heat threat inside football stadiums
Excessive heat and more frequent medical incidents in Southern college football stadiums could be a warning sign for universities across the country.
The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring an Audio Editor
The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring an Audio Editor to join our award-winning team covering important regional stories across Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.
