Birmingham Man Passes Away 32 Years After Tragic Shooting, Leaving Behind a Legacy of Love and Resilience

The family of a Birmingham man is grieving his death 32 years after he was shot in the head as a teenager. Although they are heartbroken, they are also thankful that he is finally at peace.

Erving Gray, who was 49 years old, was shot multiple times in September 1992. One of the bullets struck his head, causing an injury from which he never fully recovered. He passed away on August 6, 2024.

“It was a long struggle,’’ said his mother, Josephine Cunningham, who cared for him every day for 32 years. She would visit his Smithfield apartment early each morning to give him his medicine.

“It was like taking care of a child,’’ Cunningham explained. “Now, I find peace knowing he is at rest.”

Gray was only 17 years old when he was shot on September 15, 1992, near Ninth Avenue and First Street West in Birmingham. According to his family, the shooter claimed that Gray was part of a group who had broken into his bus.

“He chased them down, and Erving was the only one who couldn’t escape,’’ Cunningham recalled. “The man stood over him and shot him.”

The 39-year-old shooter was arrested for attempted murder, but the charge was dropped three months later. He passed away in 1997, according to the police.

The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office determined that Gray's death was a homicide.

Though Gray survived the shooting, he suffered a severe brain injury that left him disabled. Part of his brain had to be removed, and he endured seizures and other health problems due to the gunshot wound.

“His mind just kept getting worse,’’ Cunningham said. “Six months ago, he told the doctors he didn’t want to take any more medication.”

“He was hiding his pain,’’ Cunningham added. “I knew he was ready to give up.”

On Tuesday, August 6, Cunningham found her son unresponsive in the bathtub at his apartment on Second Street North. Emergency responders from Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service arrived, but Gray was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gray's first child, Martavious Stewart, was born just a month after the shooting.

“It was tough growing up without him,’’ Stewart said. “But I had a lot of support.”

Stewart graduated from Fairfield High School, where he played football. He then attended Concordia College in Selma before transferring to the University of South Alabama, where he graduated. He also earned a master’s degree in public health.

Now, Stewart works as a teacher and is training to become a commercial truck driver.

“I’ve managed to overcome a lot,’’ Stewart said. “I have a powerful story to tell.”

Despite his achievements, Stewart still mourns what could have been if his father hadn't lived with such a debilitating injury.

“My dad couldn’t care for me like other fathers,’’ he shared. “But he always recognized me and told me he loved me.”

“It’s still really hard,’’ Stewart added. “I still cry about it.”

Both Stewart and Cunningham said that Gray was deeply loved by the Smithfield community.

“People really loved him,’’ Stewart said.

Cunningham agreed, saying, “The Smithfield community looked after Erving like a village. Everyone knew him, loved him, and watched over him.”

“He was a wonderful person,’’ she concluded. “He ran his race.”