From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
Although a Birmingham shooting victim initially survived an Aug. 28 attack in which he was stuck once in the thigh, his Sept. 12 death was ruled a homicide this week because it was directly related to the shooting injury.
Yates said the death was not immediately ruled a homicide until Monday because officials were awaiting the results of lab tests that confirmed their suspicion that Curry’s death was related to the shooting.
“What we had to wait on in this case was additional lab studies,” Yates said. “To do those studies, it takes time.”
Yates added that his office’s investigation included taking samples of tissue in order to detect the presence of organisms and bacteria that would indicate the cause of death.
Curry was shot in August at a house in the 1200 block of Gulfport Street in Wylam, a west Birmingham neighborhood. After the shooting he was transported to UAB Hospital. He had been released from the hospital, but was still receiving medical treatment for his injuries when he died last month.
“We don’t often have cases where we have such a delay,” Yates said. He recalled a years-old case in which a person survived being shot in the head, but immediately started developing new medical conditions that he said “snowballed” over time. Even though the victims death occurred more than a year after the shooting, the death was ruled a homicide after coroner’s office officials concluded the cause of death was directly related to the shooting.
Birmingham police said detectives learned the victim and the suspect had an argument prior to the shooting at a home in Wylam where the men were playing a video game. Investigators believe the quarrel stemmed from an incident involving money.
Fifteen to 20 shots were reportedly fired, both in the home and into the victim’s vehicle.
The defendant was arrested and charged with second degree assault and discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling. However, he was released after he made bond.
The defendant, who Birmingham police have declined to name, for now, is currently at large.
Authorities are asking anyone with information pertaining to the case to contact t the B.P.D. Homicide Unit at 254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 254-7777.
Office: 205-254-1708
Cell: 205-704-3664