From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM –Already ranked as the third most violent city in America based on FBI crime statistics, Birmingham saw the 2016 homicide rate climb to the highest number since 2006.
The city reported 104 homicides last year for an average of two per week, according to crime reporter Carol Robinson.
Ten were ruled justifiable and 35 remained unsolved.
The 2016 homicide rate jumped by a dozen over the 2015 total which was 94.
Countywide, homicides climbed by seven over 2015 to 151, That increase can be attributed to the increase in the city of Birmingham.
According to BhamWiki, homicides in the Magic City fell to 63 in 2014, the lowest number since 60 were recorded in 1984.
Locally, Trussville and Clay reported one homicide each in 2016.
On February 10, Brittaney Owens, 25, of Trussville, was shot and killed by Troy Green, 29, of Birmingham, on Camp Coleman Road in an overnight murder-suicide. Green had pending domestic related charges at the time of the shooting.
On April 7, Jody Marie Watson, 38, of Clay, was allegedly shot to death in front of two of her children by Jeremy Conway Hardin of 6364 Yellowhammer Drive in Clay. According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Hardin admitted the shooting. Hardin has not yet stood trial for the incident which was sent to the grand jury.
Both shootings were domestic in nature.
61 Comments
Carl Crow
Amazing
Gaston Williamson
The Tragic City needs a new Mayor, City Council and a Real Police Chief that treats the Criminals like what they are Thugs.
Brian Wells
City needs new leadership and get all them idiots out of office
Jan Mareno Dunn
NEW LEADERSHIP NEEPED!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!! Enough is enough!!!!
Rose Herring Cobb
New leadership? That ship sailed back in November along with the little hope that was left. There’s no one to blame but ourselves for voting the crooks back in office.
Michael B. Moore
How can you be surprised? I walked into the bham police substation and the cop at the front desk was so busy watching television to acknowledge that I had even walked in the door.
Albert Pride
You all have any names in mind as successors?
Lisa Harlan Belcher
Birmingham is a very dangerous place to live. I won’t be retiring here.
Donna Jean Bowman
Now what’s the count for Jefferson County?
Laurence Salvary
Read the story lol
Jeffrey D. Bramer
I don’t blame the city leadership. I blame the lack of parenting skill, I blame the culture that solves problems with violence, I blame the tolerance the community has for violence, I blame rap music, I blame people who think the government can solve social problems, I blame people who don’t report crime, I blame people who don’t cooperate with the police, I blame glamorizing the life of crime, I blame parents who don’t participate in their child’s life, I blame people who don’t work, I blame people who drop out of school, I blame the people who are killing everyone.
Janina J Larsen
I love what Birmingham is trying to do with the city but it’s a dangerous place and I will not go to the downtown area for eating or anything at night
Linda Harmon
It’s terrible in B’ham, I hate it.
Scott Reed
Why can’t all the black leaders get this under control… mmmm
Bill Niedermeier
Murderham!
Hayden Garrison
Exactly
Adrienne Greene
Really?!
Justin R. Kerlin
Just watch the show First 48 Birmingham is almost on every episode lol
Kelly Carmichael Alexander
Well said Jeffrey D. Bramer..
Chris Roberts
We got a long way to go before we can beat Chicago.
Ashley Renee
No it’s not they only filmed one season lol producers were getting death threats and said it was too dangerous to continue filming
Justin R. Kerlin
Ashley Renee thats why they are on season 16 right
Andrea Bgw Carter
Very well said… lack of respect for humanity is what it all boils down to.
Gaston Williamson
All of the Birmingham City Officials are on the take
Cleo Armstrong
Not suprised at all
Kevin Johnston
Still better than montgomery
Gaston Williamson
As more people move downtown Birmingham soon there will be a new majority and with that there will be hope im a New Bir
Tricia Hawkins Thomas
Shameful! These killers need love and guidance!!! Not condoning any act of violence but what they DONT HAVE CONTINUES TO SHOW ITSELF THROUGH VIOLENCE! Pray!!!!!
Roger Thompson
That type leadership has not much to do with it. Jeffrey is cotrect. It is culture and the replication of it and the inability to adequately intervene. I have discerned from work and life experience. Marching, rioting, Al Sharpeton, Obama, etc is no answer and worsens variables, attitudes and mind sets. Now there is where the leadership is lacking or wrong headed.
Roger Thompson
You got that right dude.
Eddie Smith
Who do you blame for all the heroin deaths? Why the trussville tribune is not reporting that? Too close to home huh?
Jeffrey D. Bramer
Eddie Smith the article is not about Heroin deaths. I am staying on topic.
Jeremy Horton
The statistic that is left out of this article is that the majority of these are confined to certain areas of the city and involved people who know each other. It’s still very unlikely to get randomly killed in the city.
Lynne Elsberry Bates Ferrante
I knew it was bad. My goodness! One day they reported many in one day. It’s so sad bc it’s youth, mostly. Just think for a moment, having a kid who met the profile and statistics. Horrible !
There’s going to be a missing link in the generation. It’s scary and sad.
Latonya Rogers
Its Always Birmingham lol
Latonya Rogers
Cause its Always someone keeping and helping them be corrupted …….mmmmmm
Latonya Rogers
Is that what we trying to do??
Angel Prado
My friend Cortez was one of those murder victims… R.I.P Cortez
Randy Wiginton
all democratic and black run citiies are the same..the leaders want to keep it that way..
Terry Bobo
Sad,sad,and more sad
Jimmy Coshatt
Report A crime and expect A long wait, waiting on the cops to arrive
Jimmy Coshatt
Sorry man
Terry Bobo
Look who doing the crime Jimmy Coshatt
Bob Boffa
So very sad
Cindy Buckner
When you are not able to face the truth nothing gets accomplished!!
Cindy Buckner
Lmao The First 48 won’t even film here really??? Wow lol that’s disturbing!!!
Devaun Brooks
It’s so sad that u all are acting like Bham hasn’t had a high murder rate !!
Ian Maddox
There are only two ways to address this; top down and bottom up. Many comments on here lead me to believe that people seem to think that the top down approach is the only one available. The top down approach is an increase in police force and activity to tamp down crime. The bottom up approach is to address the disease not just a symptom and look at education, poverty, employment, etc. I’m sure it’s a combination of both but just to say we need more aggressive policing to get rid of the “thugs” is shortsighted.
Ian Maddox
Evidence?
Ian Maddox
Maybe, maybe not. Gentrification often just shifts populations from one community to another. It doesn’t alleviate the problems of poverty, poor education, lack of jobs. When you have those three things you typically see a high rate of crime.
Andrew Kevin Davis
Why no one moves into Birmingham no more. Most people live outside of it. Couldn’t pay me enough to live in the city.
Glenda Minor
You are ignorant.
John Edwards
Birmingham is always in the Top 5 in violent crime, per capita, it has a long history of violence. Sure was fun being a cop there. I thought I had cleaned the place up before I left
John Edwards
Brian Edwards
Cindy Gravlee Bonds
Perfectly stated.
Andrew Kevin Davis
Ok thanks for the insight, but I will not lol
Mary Frame
Eddie Smith – you blame the idiots that are shooting up. You blame the drug dealers as well, they should get the death penalty.
Mary Frame
Scott, they are probably getting a cut.
Mary Frame
Ian Maddox – at least gentrification brings jobs and the area’s are cleaner and safer. Who on earth would have a problem with that?
Scott Reed
Back at you Glenda. It,s going to take good upstanding black people to help stop the violence. Some of my good friends are black. We just need more to take a stand against violence
Rose Herring Cobb
Folks, you may be blessed to live in a town where local officials are relatively clean, but thousands of our fellow citizens live in a different reality, under the authority of different kinds of public officials. We don’t need polls or rankings to tell us Birmingham leaders are greedy, and you’re living in a dream world if you think the evolution of community safety doesn’t start with city officials. Blame rap music and parenting skills all you want, but when the decisions of city officials benefit only those who fund them, public interest becomes second. Any leadership lacking a commitment to serve public interest first, especially with the aid of financial greed, will always negatively effect economic productivity and Birmingham is no different. To end the crime, you have to end the government corruption.