BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Birmingham police are actively investigating a shooting that occurred Thursday evening on 1st Avenue North, which resulted in one man being hospitalized. The incident has prompted city officials and local business owners to voice their concerns regarding public safety in the area.
According to reports, the shooting took place around 6:30 p.m. in the 2300 block of 1st Avenue North. Officers responded to multiple shots fired and discovered a man with gunshot wounds inside a vehicle. The victim was taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive.
Residents and workers in the vicinity expressed their unease following the incident. A resident named Alec noted, “It’s not the first time that it’s happened here downtown.”
One woman, who did not wish to give her name, stated, “It’s very unsettling especially since we have to work in this area and we’re walking these streets all the time.”
In response to the shooting, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin took to social media to express his concerns about a new nightclub, Privilege, set to open on the same block where previous establishments, Cru Lounge and Casanova Nightclub, were located.
“Privilege should not open. Even before they open, I have no confidence that other patrons of existing businesses, future patrons of their business, and most importantly the residents in that block and vicinity will be safe,” Mayor Woodfin stated.
Victor King, owner of The Essential, a restaurant on 1st Avenue North, shared his apprehensions.
“It’s been relatively quiet since Cru and Casanova left and now here we are, Privilege is about to open and it’s already starting back up.” He added, “It’s just unfortunate that it has to be the same kind of business that is just seeming to draw these kinds of, these issues.”
Privilege responded to the mayor’s comments, in a statement saying the following;
“The current police force and its level of involvement is not sufficient to contain the challenges the city is facing. The recent shooting in downtown Birmingham underscores a pressing issue the Birmingham Police Department is understaffed, leaving the community vulnerable to brazen criminal acts.
“The fact that a shooting occurred during a busy time of day is alarming. It highlights the lack of care for those committing these violent acts, coupled with the City of Birmingham’s lack of sworn police officers to protect its citizens properly. The problem isn’t the business locations; it’s a city-wide issue, with fear spreading beyond just the downtown area. Criminals are emboldened because they do not fear the police, and the city must address this by increasing the number of sworn officers and rebuilding public trust.”
The Birmingham Police Department has not confirmed any connection between the shooting and the nightclub. Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward. Bob Copus, executive director of Metro Alabama CrimeStoppers, emphasized that both individuals and businesses can report tips anonymously and may be eligible for rewards. He noted the importance of video evidence in investigations but cautioned that such footage might inadvertently reveal the source.
“If we think it’s going to expose the person taking the video, we’ll send them a message back saying we’ll send this to law enforcement but your identity may be compromised and some people don’t care, they want to get that video out there,” Copus explained.
Get news alerts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our email newsletter here.
Copyright 2025 WBRC. All rights reserved.
This post was originally published on here
