Birmingham's 100th Homicide of 2024: 61-Year-Old Man Fatally Shot, Search for Suspect Intensifies

The city of Birmingham has tragically reached a grim milestone for 2024, with the fatal shooting of 61-year-old Charlie Moore marking the 100th homicide of the year. The incident occurred on Tuesday night at the North Birmingham Homes public housing community, commonly known as Vice Hills. As of Wednesday, the Birmingham police continue their active search for the gunman involved.

Moore's death stands in stark contrast to last year’s statistics, where the city did not hit the 100-homicide mark until October 3rd. At the same point in 2023, Birmingham had recorded 87 homicides, underscoring the alarming rise in violent crime this year.

The sequence of events unfolded just before 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday when specialists from the Birmingham Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center spotted a stolen vehicle within the Vice Hills area. Officers from the North Precinct quickly responded, locating the stolen car on the 3100 Block of 43rd Avenue North.

As officers investigated, gunshots rang out from a nearby apartment. One officer witnessed an armed suspect emerging from the apartment. A confrontation ensued, during which the officer fired shots at the suspect, who managed to escape by jumping into the passenger side of the stolen vehicle. The vehicle then sped away from the scene.

The police pursued the fleeing suspects until they abandoned the stolen car in the 4100 Block of Fairmont Place. Meanwhile, additional officers entered the apartment from where the shots had been fired and discovered Moore unresponsive. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced him dead at the scene by 8:45 p.m.

At a press briefing on Wednesday morning, Birmingham Police spokesperson Officer Truman Fitzgerald confirmed that no arrests had been made. It remains unclear whether the officer’s bullets struck the armed suspect during the confrontation.

Fitzgerald highlighted the importance of the Real Time Crime Center in the ongoing investigation, emphasizing that its live surveillance capabilities enabled officers to respond swiftly and directly engage with the potential suspect.

To date, Birmingham has experienced 100 homicides in 2024. This figure includes an officer-involved shooting by an external agency and the death of a 4-year-old girl from injuries sustained in a 2022 shooting. Of these cases, eight have been ruled justifiable and are not considered criminal acts.

Jefferson County, which encompasses Birmingham, has recorded a total of 125 homicides so far this year, compared to 120 at the same time last year.

Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the case to contact homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or reach out anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. The investigation remains ongoing as the city grapples with the rising tide of violence.