Greene County Democrat

Tag: Mayor Randall Woodfin

  • Newswire : Birmingham 5 Points South mass shooting: $100,000 reward offered; 2 victims had faced murder charges

    Crime scene in Birmingham, AL

    By Carol Robinson, AL.com

     

    As the search continues for the gunmen sought in the weekend mass shooting in Birmingham’s Five Points South that killed four and wounded 17 others, authorities on Monday announced reward money of up to $100,000 offered by the FBI and Crime Stoppers.

    Police Chief Scott Thurmond said investigators are still working on the theory that the barrage of automatic gunfire was a “hit” — a murder-for-hire targeting at least one of the men killed in the shooting.

    Two of the victims, Carlos De’Juan McCain, 27, and Roderick Lynn Patterson Jr., 26, both were charged in past Birmingham homicides. McCain was acquitted of murder and attempted murder in 2017 in the shooting death of 15-year-old Kelvon Julius, who police said was killed in retaliation for another shooting in 2015. A young woman was also wounded in the gunfire that killed Kelvon. Kelvon’s slaying happened June 4, 2016, on 12th Street South. A second suspect pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

    Patterson was previously charged with murder in the 2021 shooting of 20-year-old Dentarius Maurice Jackson, who was gunned down at the gas pumps at the Chevron on First Ave. North. In 2022, the murder charge against Patterson was dismissed at the request of prosecutors citing “death, unavailability, and non-cooperation of witnesses.”
    Court records show no criminal histories for the other two people killed – Anitra Hollomon, 21, and Tahj Booker, 27.

    Thurmond said he would not yet identify who investigators believe was the targeted victim in Saturday’s mass shooting, and said police are still trying to determine whether a second victim was also targeted. “There could be multiple motives for the one individual we believe was targeted. Others could have been targeted,’’ Thurmond said. “We’re still looking into that.”

    “Some of the individuals killed have extensive criminal histories and because of that, there’s often motivation from others, and there’s people willing to pay to have them killed,’’ the chief said.

    Thurmond, Mayor Randall Woodfin and other law enforcement officials held a news conference Monday to update the investigation and announce the reward. FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples announced the reward for information on arrest and conviction. Frank Barefield of Crime Stoppers said its reward is for information leading to the identity of the suspects and is the largest ever offered by them.

    The previous record was $25,000 after the abuduction of Kamille “Cupcake” McKinney. The 3-year-old was abducted from a birthday party in 2019 and later found murdered. Two people were arrested and convicted.

  • Newswire : NAACP urges Black student-athletes to reconsider Florida Colleges amid DEI funding controversy

    GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – APRIL 13: Kahleil Jackson #22 scores a touchdown against Miguel Mitchell #10 during the 2nd quarter of the Florida Gators spring football game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on April 13, 2023 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

    Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and a photo of Black football players

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson has called on Black student-athletes to reconsider their decisions to attend public colleges and universities in Florida. The call comes in response to a new state policy preventing institutions from utilizing government funds for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.

    In a letter sent to current and prospective student-athletes of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) on Monday, NBC News reported that Johnson urged them to “choose wisely” amidst the ongoing debate surrounding DEI funding in Florida. He emphasized the crucial role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in ensuring equitable and effective educational outcomes, noting that Black athletes’ value to large universities is unmatched.

    The controversy stems from a bill signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis last year, restricting public colleges and universities from using state and federal funds for DEI programs. “If these institutions are unable to completely invest in those athletes, it’s time they take their talents elsewhere,” Johnson declared, according to NBC News.

    The University of Florida’s recent decision to eliminate all DEI positions, complying with the state rule, drew condemnation from NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, an alum of the school. Smith emphasized the need for minority athletes to be aware and vocal about such decisions.

    The trend against DEI programs has heightened, with Republican politicians in more than 30 states introducing bills to restrict or regulate such efforts. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, for instance, signed a law last year ordering the closure of DEI offices at state-funded colleges and universities.

    The NAACP’s call comes on the heels of a similar message from Birmingham, Alabama, Mayor Randall Woodfin, who asserted that if his state passed a bill blocking funding for DEI in public colleges, he would encourage student-athletes to explore programs in other states.

    Florida’s significance in Division I athletics and its central role in college sports business are one issue the NAACP zeroed in on. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the University of Florida’s sports teams generated over $177 million in revenue from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022.

    “If any institution is to reap the benefits of Black talent, it is only right that they completely invest in Black futures,” Johnson argued.