Man Arrested on Federal Gun Charges is a ‘Potential Suspect’ in Birmingham Triple Homicide

Birmingham at Breaking Point

In a recent spate of grisly crimes, Birmingham, Alabama has been shook by a triple homicide that claimed the lives of three individuals. In connection with this case, federal authorities have identified a ‘potential suspect’, a man arrested on unrelated gun charges.

The Unraveling Tragedy

In an unfortunate incident that occurred in the 1700 block of Indian Summer Drive, Arkia “Kia” Berry, 28, and her 5-year-old son, Landyn Brooks, along with Berry’s boyfriend, 28-year-old Eric Ashley Jr., were killed. The locality lies adjacent to Echo Highlands Park on the city’s east side. The fatal shooting transpired just a few hours prior to another act of violence that resulted in four more deaths and 10 injuries.

Chain of Events

The initial discovery of the crime was unconventional. A 911 call was made to report a wreck. However, when the police arrived on scene, they found a car riddled with bullet holes, resting in front of a house bordering the park. The vehicle appeared to have jumped a curb. All three victims were discovered inside, lifelessly succumbing to the violence that transpired.

Witnesses reported the potential suspect fled sought escape in a separate vehicle. The police, whilst investigating, found a majority of the shell casings in the park’s parking area. Birmingham police have regarded the shooting as a targeted act, however, the motive remains undisclosed.

Moral Appeal from Mayor

In reaction to the incident, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin expressed concerns about the current state of violence in the city via his social media. The Mayor urged the public, especially those related to criminals, to shun their company, disallow their children to be with them and essentially refuse to serve as accomplices in their unlawful activities.

Suspect’s Pending Charges

Court documents have identified a 24-year-old man from Birmingham as a potential suspect of the triple homicide. At the moment, he faces unrelated federal gun charges. The suspect was taken into custody from a car wash in east Birmingham after the city’s Crime Reduction Unit set up surveillance and seized his vehicle, a rental car with Georgia license plates.

Upon arrest, an AR-variant firearm was sighted in the car. Officials subsequently obtained a search warrant and confiscated a Kel-Tec PLR-16, which is a semi-automatic pistol, a digital scale, and two baggies containing a substance assumed to be cocaine.

Next Steps

As the suspect had been previously convicted of a felony crime, he is not legally permitted to own a gun. Following his arrest, he was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on July 19 and released a week later. The probation revocation hearing is scheduled for next month, and U.S. Marshals took him back into custody this past Saturday. He remains in federal custody, with a court date set for early next month.