Birmingham Pastor Calls For A State Of Emergency Over Murder Rate

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2021/01/crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1080;s:4:"file";s:43:"2021/01/crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:18:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-771x434.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:434;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-768x432.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:432;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:44:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-1536x864.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:864;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-553x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:553;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"gb-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"gb-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"web-stories-poster-portrait";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-640x853.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:853;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"web-stories-poster-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-853x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:853;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"web-stories-poster-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:43:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-640x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:26:"web-stories-publisher-logo";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-96x96.jpg";s:5:"width";i:96;s:6:"height";i:96;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:21:"web-stories-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"crime_scene_tape-e1610124060327-150x84.jpg";s:5:"width";i:150;s:6:"height";i:84;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Gerd Altmann
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => Pixabay
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:19:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1357;s:4:"file";s:20:"crime_scene_tape.jpg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-336x237.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:237;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:17:"medium_large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-768x543.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:543;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:10:"large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-771x545.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:545;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"1536x1536-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:30:"crime_scene_tape-1536x1086.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:1086;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"wbhm-icon-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"crime_scene_tape-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"wbhm-featured-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-440x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:440;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-375x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:375;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:33:"gb-block-post-grid-landscape-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:30:"gb-block-post-grid-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:32:"web-stories-poster-portrait-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-640x853.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:853;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:33:"web-stories-poster-landscape-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-853x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:853;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:30:"web-stories-poster-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-640x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:31:"web-stories-publisher-logo-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"crime_scene_tape-96x96.jpg";s:5:"width";i:96;s:6:"height";i:96;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:26:"web-stories-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"crime_scene_tape-150x106.jpg";s:5:"width";i:150;s:6:"height";i:106;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

)
1641713452 
1610106993

Murders in Birmingham are “out of control.”

– Rev. Paul Hollman of Mount Mariah Missionary Baptist Church in Birmingham.

Birmingham ended in 2020 with 122 killings – up by 13%. Of that total, 15 killings were ruled justifiable, mirroring a trend of increase in many American cities.

The city began 2021 with three killings in three days – one per day.

Rev. Paul Hollman of Mount Mariah Missionary Baptist Church in Birmingham launched a billboard campaign last year to raise awareness after a member of his church was shot to death. This week he called for Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin to declare a state of emergency. Hollman spoke with WBHM’s Andrew Yeager.

Rev. Paul Hollman

What would a state of emergency mean?

When you call for a state of emergency you can get help from the federal government on down to the state government and county. Everybody can come together to bring resources, not just financial resources, to bear. When George Floyd was killed and the people started rioting and breaking in windows and things of that nature in Birmingham, he called for a state of emergency to help end that. So why can’t we use the same tool that he used to stop them from breaking in buildings to use to stop the murders that’s going on in our city?

In the city of Detroit they’re using every resource they have from the city to federal resources and it has helped there.

Mayor Randall Woodfin is recovering at home after being hospitalized with COVID-19, but have you had communication with the mayor’s office?

We sent the letter to the mayor’s office. They have not responded to me directly. I think they have spoken through their press conference, but I have not heard from them. We are praying for the mayor that he will get better. Just like they brought all the resources to bear to help with the COVID situation, bring all the resources to bear to help with the killings in Birmingham.

You backed these billboards last year to raise awareness of the issue. You’ve continued that in 2021. Is the message any different this year than it was last year?

Let me say this. We’ve been getting not only calls, but people have been unaware that all of this was happening. I believe by keeping people aware we can actually, this year, reduce the number of killings in Birmingham if we work together. We’re coming in love and peace because we care for our city and we care for our lives. This is the time for the whole city to work together.

Pastor Paul Hollman’s Letter To Mayor Randall Woodfin by Miranda Fulmore on Scribd

Editor’s Note: Corrected to indicate 15 of the killings from 2020 were ruled justifiable.

 

The NHL postpones a game and the Lakers coach evacuates his family amid LA fires

The fires burning across Los Angeles have affected tens of thousands of people, including athletes and staff for the city's sports teams. Pasadena's iconic Rose Bowl was under evacuation warning.

Fire hydrants ran dry in Pacific Palisades as a major wildfire raged

Janisse Quiñones, CEO of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, said the fight to contain the flames has put immense strain on the system.

In D.C.’s bitter cold, a homeless shelter offers hot food and some hope

NPR visited a homeless shelter in Washington, D.C., to see how residents and staff are faring during a cold emergency. The shelter is busy year-round, though the frigid weather brings in more people.

How to get more movement into your screen-filled life. No gym required.

Research shows that 5-minute walking breaks every half hour offset the harm of too much sitting. But that is easier said than done. These 5 tips can help you maintain movement throughout your day.

What are the Santa Ana winds and how are they impacting the LA wildfires?

Although the Santa Anas are a routine part of life for people living in southern California, the winds are particularly violent and destructive this time around, experts say.

With the holidays over, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and more stars flood the pop charts

Now that most Christmas songs and albums have been packed away into the proverbial attic, the pop landscape of the new year is coming into focus.

More Front Page Coverage