How Birmingham Homicides Compare Nationally, Six Months into 2024

By Carol Robinson | crobinson@al.com Homicides in Birmingham and all of Jefferson County rose in the first six months of 2024 compared to the same time last year. There were 75 homicides in Birmingham from January through June, up 10 slayings compared to the same time in 2023. That’s a more than 15% increase. The city reported its first homicide of July — the 76th of the year — Monday night when a man was shot in an East Lake parking lot near where people were shooting dice. The victim was identified as 30-year-old Kameron Connell. Of the 75 in the first half of this year, eight have been ruled justifiable and aren’t deemed criminal. Birmingham police do not count justified homicides in their numbers, and also do not include a fatal officer-involved shooting that happened one week ago. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 98 killings as of July 1, 2024. That is an increase of two homicides over this time last year. Countywide, homicides have taken place in Fairfield, Bessemer, Hueytown, Lipscomb, Midfield, Adamsville and unincorporated Jefferson County. Birmingham’s homicide tally in 2023 dropped for the first time in five years after years of steady increases...