BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — An adult male was shot and killed Sunday afternoon in Birmingham’s College Hills neighborhood, marking the latest in a string of shootings in the city amid an ongoing decline in homicide rates compared to last year.
Birmingham Police responded to the 900 block of Center Street North around 2:35 p.m. and found the victim inside a gray SUV suffering from a gunshot wound. Life-saving efforts by first responders were unsuccessful, and the man was pronounced dead after arriving at UAB Hospital. Witnesses told police that a suspect approached the vehicle and fired into it before fleeing the scene on foot. There have been no public details on arrests or a motive.
The latest incident comes just months after a quadruple homicide rocked the same area in early 2024. Residents and city officials point to a persistent struggle with gun violence, but the overall homicide numbers in Birmingham have dropped sharply in 2025.
According to the Birmingham Police Department, the city has seen a 59% decrease in homicides halfway through 2025 compared to last year, when Birmingham endured a record 152 homicides. As of early June, there were 33 homicides, down from 61 at the same point in 2024. The department credits a combination of increased staffing, focused crime prevention efforts, and a seven-point strategy for the city’s progress.
Despite these gains, violent crime in other categories such as aggravated assaults and burglaries has risen, and residents remain on edge in neighborhoods hardest hit by gun violence. City leaders implemented recommendations from the Birmingham Crime Commission’s report after last year’s record number of killings, and officials say that community engagement and police recruitment are critical to maintaining the recent declines
Police are urging anyone with information about Sunday’s shooting to contact the department or reach out anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (205) 254-7777.