Birmingham’s 23rd homicide in 2017 is 11-year-old boy

From Trussville Tribune staff reports

BIRMINGHAM — An 11-year-old boy has been confirmed at the city of Birmingham’s 23rd homicide victim of 2017.

The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Nassir Battle.

On Friday, March 3, around 5 p.m. officers from the Birmingham Police Department’s East Precinct responded to the call of on an unresponsive child. Upon arrival, officers observed the victim lying on the bed with a shallow pulse. Birmingham Fire and Rescue responded to the scene and transported the victim to Children’s Hospital where the victim was later pronounced deceased.

“Every death is challenging but deaths involving children are extremely delicate. Precise police work is of the utmost importance in this case,” Lt. Sean Edwards of the Birmingham Police Department said.

Edwards said the investigation revealed the victim was at home with an adult male, who is believed to be the boyfriend of the victim’s mother, and another small child. The man was taken in for further questioning and later arrested on a previous misdemeanor warrant with the city, but later bonded out. This case was ruled an unclassified death at the time of the report.

On Saturday, March 4, Jefferson County Coroner’s Office ruled the unclassified death a homicide.