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Woman killed by hail of bullets on Facebook live video after brawl in Birmingham apartment complex

A large brawl in the parking lot of an east Birmingham apartment complex ended in a fatal shooting that was captured live on Facebook videos.

The fight broke out at the Monarch Ridge Apartments on Gallant Drive, formerly known as Valley Brook.

The video shows the victim in a fight involving several people. The altercation apparently began at a vehicle in the parking lot, then moved to a passageway in one of the apartment buildings and continued before a shooting broke out.

Sergeant LaQuitta Wade said East Precinct officers were dispatched to the complex around 10 p.m. Tuesday. Initially, there were reports of gunshots, then officers were told someone had been shot.

When they arrived at the scene, they found the victim – the mother of a young daughter – unconscious in or near the parking lot. The Birmingham Fire Department pronounced her dead at the scene.

The victim had posted his own live video from the parking lot of the apartment complex shortly before the fight and shooting broke out.

The videos captured the heart-wrenching screams of the victim's brother and sister after the shooting.

Birmingham murder case, August 20, 2024

A woman was shot and killed following a fight in the parking lot of Monarch Ridge Apartments on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. Her car was stolen but later recovered.(Carol Robinson)

A second victim – a man – was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Wade said investigators found the fight appeared to have ended after it moved into the alleyway, and moments later the shots were fired.

Initially, the police spoke of 36 cartridge cases, but as the investigation progressed, the number rose – it almost tripled. The cartridge cases were in two groups in adjacent areas of the parking lot.

Videos showed more shots, and witnesses claimed it sounded like there were hundreds.

After the shooting, someone fled in the female victim's Ford car. This was also captured on video.

It was not immediately clear whether the machine was still running when they got out or how they accessed it.

The stolen vehicle was found abandoned in the parking lot of J Wings on Center Point Parkway.

Birmingham murder case, August 20, 2024

A woman was shot and killed following a fight in the parking lot of Monarch Ridge Apartments on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. Her car was stolen but later recovered.(Carol Robinson)

No arrests were made.

Wade spoke about the fight and the fatal shooting, which was captured on live video.

“It's a little frustrating that no one took action to defuse the situation,” she said, “but the video surveillance is helping us with this investigation.”

“We did get some calls,” Wade said, “but it's alarming how many people were present and did not intervene to stop this. It's sad and our deepest condolences go out to the victim's family.”

The victim is the 102nd murder in the city this year and the second to occur on Tuesday. Of the 102 murders, eight were judged to be justified and therefore not considered criminal.

There were 129 murders in all of Jefferson County, including 102 in Birmingham.

Police ask anyone with information or additional video of the incident to call Criminal Investigation at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.