Birmingham, Alabama – Tragedy struck Birmingham overnight as two separate shootings claimed the lives of two individuals, pushing the city’s homicide count to 117 this year. The victims, identified by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office as 35-year-old Diontranet Tinae Brown from Birmingham and 37-year-old Tremayne Javahn Long from Bessemer, both succumbed to fatal injuries at UAB Hospital after being shot in unrelated incidents. These incidents further underline the escalating violence that has plagued the city in recent months.
The first shooting occurred at approximately 8:50 p.m. on Thursday at the 604 Bar and Lounge, located on Ninth Street North. According to Officer Truman Fitzgerald of the Birmingham Police Department, officers from the North Precinct responded to a call reporting a person shot at the bar. Upon arrival, they discovered Brown lying unresponsive inside the establishment.
Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service swiftly transported Brown to the UAB Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 9:09 p.m. Authorities have stated that they do not believe the shooting was random, although it remains unclear whether Brown was the intended target of the gunfire. “We do not believe this was a random shooting,’’ Officer Fitzgerald said. “It is unclear if the victim was the intended target.”
The investigation into Brown’s death is still ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward by contacting Birmingham police at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
Just hours later, another shooting unfolded at 12:40 a.m. Friday on Third Avenue West. Coroner officials confirmed that Long was involved in a physical altercation with another man, which escalated into gunfire. Birmingham Police reported that a heated confrontation between the two men resulted in Long being shot multiple times. Like Brown, he was transported to UAB Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:16 a.m. The circumstances surrounding the confrontation are under investigation, but authorities have confirmed that the shooting was the culmination of a violent altercation.
Long’s death marked Birmingham’s fifth homicide in just seven days, underscoring the grim pattern of violence that has gripped the city. As of this writing, no arrests have been made in connection with either shooting, and authorities are continuing their investigations.
The fatal shootings bring Birmingham’s official homicide total for 2024 to 117. However, of those, eight cases have been ruled justifiable, meaning they occurred under circumstances such as self-defense. Two other deaths, while recorded this year, occurred in previous years, but the victims passed away in 2024, adding complexity to the statistics. The broader picture is equally concerning for Jefferson County as a whole, where there have been 149 homicides to date, including the 117 within Birmingham’s city limits.
Birmingham has been grappling with an uptick in violent crime in recent years, a situation that mirrors troubling trends seen in other major U.S. cities. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting data, homicides nationwide saw a significant rise in 2020 and 2021, a trend that has not abated for Birmingham in the subsequent years. Local authorities are focusing efforts on curbing gun violence through various initiatives, but the steady rise in homicides indicates a deep-seated problem that requires more than law enforcement intervention.
Gun violence and fatal shootings have been a point of contention in Birmingham, with community leaders calling for a more comprehensive approach to tackling the root causes of violence. Poverty, lack of educational and economic opportunities, and the proliferation of firearms in the wrong hands are often cited as key factors contributing to the city’s growing homicide rate.
For residents of Birmingham, these latest shootings are a stark reminder of the volatility that has plagued the city in recent times. The violent deaths of Brown and Long have left their communities grieving, with many expressing frustration at the persistent cycle of violence. Both families now join the ranks of those seeking justice and answers for the senseless killings that have rocked their lives.
City officials and law enforcement continue to encourage residents to report any information that could aid in solving these crimes. Additionally, community activists are urging greater collaboration between neighborhoods, law enforcement, and local government to find lasting solutions to the violence that has caused so much pain.
As Birmingham grapples with the aftermath of these latest tragedies, the call for peace and a stronger sense of community has never been more urgent.