2008 Birmingham homicides
This is a List of Birmingham homicides in 2008. It includes homicide cases occuring within the city limits during the calendar year. Note that a "homicide" refers to the cause of death as determined by a medical examiner, not to the commission of the crime of murder as charged by police and prosecutors.
With 10 homicides up to January 18, the city is on pace for 203 in 2008. Based on the 2006 census estimate of 229,424 population, that represents 88.5 homicides per 100,000 population for the year. Birmingham had 93 homicides in 2007, 109 in 2006, and a record of 141 in 1992.
Birmingham is averaging 17.2 homicides per month, or one every 1.8 days. The longest stretch without a homicide was between January 4 - 9.
Of the 10 recorded homicides, suspects have been reported identified in at least 6 cases, apprehended in 6, and charged in 4.
6 of the 10 reported homicides were shootings, 3 of which occurred on the street, 1 in a back yard and 1 in a private home. Another was a beating death which occurred in the victim's home, one was struck during an illegal street race, and one was found in a burning car. 6 of the victims were male and 3 were female. One case appeared to be a domestic dispute, 3 resulted from arguments, one appeared to be a home invasion, one a case of mistaken identity, one an accident which occurred during an illegal race, and the remaining 3 cases had no reported motive.
Listing by date
- January 2: Winifred Jathea Bryant, 25, was forced into a car at gunpoint outside an apartment complex on the 200 block of 52nd Street North in Woodlawn. She was shot in the head when she tried to esacape Her car was in the street with the engine running and her 7-year-old son inside. Arthur Lee Kirksey, the boy's father, was charged with capital murder, and arrested while in hiding at his mothers house three days later. [1]
- January 3: Grace A. Garner, 85, found bludgeoned to death in her home at 7735 1st Avenue South in East Lake. The front door was forced open and the home ransacked. No arrest. [2]
- January 3: Dameon T. "Tiger" Harris, 28, found shot on the 1300 block of 29th Street North. Another gunshot victim was admitted to Physicians Medical Center Carraway and may have been involved in the shooting. A woman was taken into custody, but has not been charged. [3]
- January 4: Evangelist Caffery D. Woods, 49, shot in her SUV parked behind a duplex on the 7400 block of Second Avenue South. Her mother, Mattie Mae Woods, 88, was shot several times as well, but survived. No arrests. [4]
- January 9: Lonzel Davis, 57, shot in his home at 537 Antwerp Avenue in Gate City. Knikita Aydelotte has been charged with capital murder. [5]
- January 10: Charles Benson, 38, shot behind a house at 817 5th Street in Pratt City. A suspect has been taken into custody. [6]
- January 12: Remains of an unidentified male found inside a burning Cadillac at the intersection of Jersey Street and 15th Avenue in Wylam. The man's death has not yet been classified as homicide by the Jefferson County coroner.
- January 13: "Bik Lonnie" King, 29, was struck and killed while videotaping an illegal drag race on Republic Boulevard near Avenue W in the Pratt community. The drivers of the two Ford Mustangs involved in the race, Brian English Murphy of Elkmont (Limestone County) and Yardley Potter of Florida, have been charged with manslaughter and with leaving the scene of an accident. Potter's car is the one that struck King. [7]
- January 13: Anthony Lett, 36, of Huntsville was fatally shot during a dispute which followed King's death during an illegal drag race on Republic Boulevard near Avenue W in the Pratt community. No arrest. [8]
- January 13: A body was reported found on the railroad tracks near 19th Street South and Powell Avenue downtown. No arrest. [9]
Responses
Members of the National Stop the Violence Coalition and Alabama Youth Against Violence staged a rally at Five Points West on January 12, prompted by the rising murder rate. (Bryant - Jan. 12)
References
- Breaking News from the Birmingham News
- Bryant, Walter and Dawn Kent (January 12, 2008) "Update: Victim in burned car is city's 7th homicide." Birmingham News