Someone was ‘paid to kill targeted victim’ in mass shooting that killed 4, injured 17, police say

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC/Gray News) - Police say four people are dead and 17 are injured after a mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama.

Birmingham Police say four people died after a mass shooting Saturday night in Five Points South. Just after 11 p.m. police received a call of a shooting in the 2000 block of Magnolia Avenue, WBRC reports .

Officials arrived on the scene to find two men and one woman lying unresponsive on the sidewalk. Police say the victims died at the scene.

Officer Truman Fitzgerald says a fourth victim was pronounced dead at UAB Hospital.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue reports taking eight victims to the hospital. Police say four of them have life-threatening injuries.

Officers say dozens of victims arrived at various hospitals across the city.

"These mass shootings have more to do with culture than they do criminality. Mayor Randall Woodfin said it best this week... we're seeing far too many arguments being settled by bullets, and I think this speaks exactly to what our mayor just said," Fitzgerald said.

Police believe multiple suspects arrived at the location in a vehicle. The suspects exited the vehicle and fired multiple shots at a group of people on Magnolia Avenue before getting back in and fleeing the scene.

Detectives believe the shooting was not random and stemmed from an isolated incident where multiple victims were caught in the crossfire.

Chief Scott Thurmond says he believes someone was paid to kill the targeted victim.

Police confirmed that the weapons used were fully automatic. More than 100 shell casings were found at the scene.

They are also working to determine who the target of the shooting was.

At this time, authorities say nobody is in custody.

If you have any information at all pertaining to the case, you are asked to call 911 or BPD at 205-254-1764. If you wish to remain anonymous, you are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.