Jefferson County Sheriff’s officers shot and killed a person after a chase in east Birmingham on Tuesday afternoon.
At around 2:15 p.m., officers attempted to stop the vehicle for a traffic violation near First Avenue North and 56th Street North.
“The driver refused to stop and the pursuit began,” said sheriff’s office spokesman Henry Irby.
During the pursuit, Irby said, the suspect collided with officers’ vehicles.
According to two eyewitnesses, the suspect was driving in the wrong direction up the ramp from Messer Airport and was trying to get back onto the highway when he crashed into a tree.
Witnesses said he exited the vehicle armed with a Draco weapon and was shot three times in the back. Authorities have not confirmed this report.
A fugitive suspect was shot and killed by Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office officers near I-20 and Messer Airport Highway on August 20, 2024.(Carol Robinson)
The suspect was transported to UAB Hospital by Birmingham Fire and EMS.
The severity of the suspect’s injuries is unknown, but a police officer could be heard repeatedly calling over the radio that paramedics were needed immediately.
Irby said he could not provide any further information at this time, such as whether the suspect fired any shots or whether he was alone in the vehicle.
The Alabama Department of Law Enforcement has been assigned to lead the investigation, which is common practice in police-involved shootings.
