Birmingham Police

2 shootings in Birmingham kill 7 people, including young child, Alabama police say

Four people died in a shooting at a Birmingham nightclub late Saturday, while an earlier shooting outside a home in the city killed three people, including a young child, authorities in Alabama said.

Video shows high school band director shocked with stun gun, arrested after refusing to stop music

State Rep. Juandalynn Givan, who is representing band director Johnny Mims as his attorney, said Tuesday that the incident is an “alarming abuse of power” that instead “should have been should have been deescalated.”

Crime Wave Highlights Barriers Between Police and Hispanic Community

Recently there’s been a surge in crimes targeting the Hispanic community in and around Birmingham. Police want victims to feel comfortable reporting the incidents, but that means overcoming some roadblocks.

A Bridge Between Police and Teens

This summer has seen headline after headline of violent encounters between people of color and law enforcement. In some cases, officers shot and killed black men. In others, police were the target of bullets. Now a Birmingham organization is trying to create a bridge between police and teens.

The Junction: We Won’t Be Next

After police shootings and racially-charged murders this month, the national conversation is once again focused on the fraught relationship between police and black communities. To address these tensions, The Birmingham City Council recently hosted a forum in Ensley called “We Won’t Be Next.” Rachel Osier Lindley brings us the latest in our series, The Junction: […]

Crime in Greater Birmingham: Literacy as Long-Term Prevention?

Police and prosecutors try to fight crime in the streets and in the courts every day. But how do you fight the long-term root causes of crime? Some people think you do it in small school rooms, one lesson at a time.

Dash Cam Video Raises Questions in Birmingham Police Shooting

Birmingham police are reviewing an incident in which an officer shot a suspect on a street in East Lake after dash cam video released this week shows the situation isn't exactly as police reported. The two officers involved say the man pointed a gun at them prompting one to shoot. That officer, Daniel Aguirre, received a departmental award for his actions. The man, Aubrey Williams, survived but faces attempted murder charges. His attorney says the video shows he did not point a gun at the officers. We talk about the situation with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald. He also talks about a second mistrial in the case of a Madison police officer accused of using excessive force against an Indian man.

U.S Attorney General Visits Birmingham

U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch spent Wednesday in Birmingham to meet with local law enforcement officers and city leaders about improving cooperation between police and their communities. She also addressed issues raised by last week’s shooting at a historically black church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Birmingham Chosen For Community Pilot Program

Birmingham is one of six cities recently chosen for a pilot program designed to strengthen police and community relationships.