A 17-month investigation into multiple shootings in the Tuscaloosa area has led to 75 indictments and the arrests of 10 people, including three juveniles.

“I think it’s often said anecdotally but we all know it’s true, that a small minority of people are causing the majority of crimes,” said Capt. Jack Kennedy, of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit. “This is the perfect example of that.

At a Friday press conference, Kennedy said the investigation began in January 2024 and focused on shootings that began in 2023.

The result, he said, was investigators being able to link a group of suspects to multiple crimes including 10 separate shooting incidents and to use Alabama’s Criminal Enterprise Act to charge them.

“This group is involved in bank fraud and credit card fraud that is financing their lifestyle,” Kennedy said. “They are operating criminally in all aspects of their life and are violently engaged in shooting incidents in our community. These are type of people we’re combatting daily.”

Kennedy said multiple bank tellers were discovered to be helping the group commit financial fraud.

“Multiple persons have confessed to their part in the scheme of the financial fraud,” he said.

The potential monetary loss from that part of the crimes is well over $1 million, according to the authorities.

The probe was led by the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, which includes the Tuscaloosa Police Department, the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Northport police Department and police at the University of Alabama.

Multiple other agencies took part, including federal law enforcement.

Joining Kennedy at the press conference were Sheriff Ron Abernathy, TPD Chief Brent Blankley, Northport Chief Gerald Burton, UAPD Chief John Hooks, District Attorney Hayes Webb, and representatives of ATF, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Kennedy said that more than 60 search warrants were obtained and carried out as part of the exhaustive probe.

“We’ve uncovered the group was involved in at least 10 shootings since 2023 and that’s what we can prove,” he said. “I’m sure there are more.”

Seven people have been arrested, he said, and the evidence presented to a Tuscaloosa County grand jury, which returned the 75 indictments.

“It was found that the suspects committing these crimes was committing them as an organized group, which fell under the recently passed Criminal Enterprise Act in Alabama,” Kennedy said. The act was passed in 2023.

That law provided for additional charges and sentencing enhancements if convicted.

Several of the suspects have already been charged with federal crimes as well, Kennedy said, and others remain under investigation.

Here’s a look at the shooting incidents, according to police:

On July 8, 2023, a man was shot in the face in broad daylight while he sat inside a vehicle at a gas station on the West side. An investigation found that the criminal enterprise believed this victim to be related to their gang activity, but they were mistaken, and the victim was an innocent bystander.

On July 13, 2023, members of the criminal enterprise got into a shootout with a rival gang member in Alberta. Again, an innocent man was shot in the stomach.

On Jan. 7, 2024, members of the group drove to a residence and shot into the occupied residence multiple times over a monetary dispute.

Also on Jan. 21, 2024, the same group shot into an occupied apartment with a fully automatic rifle.

Again on Jan. 21, 2024, the same members of the criminal enterprise shot into a different occupied apartment in a different complex with the fully automatic rifle and a 9mm pistol.

On Jan. 22, 2024, the group shoot into an unoccupied residence with the fully automatic rifle.

On April 12, 2024, suspects from the same criminal enterprise wore masks and pulled up on a group of individuals. One member allegedly tried to shoot one of them, but the gun did not fire. A shootout ensued as they left the complex. No victim has come forward or been identified in this case.

On April 14, 2024, multiple members of the criminal enterprise got into a large shootout in Coaling. A pistol outfitted with a conversion device making it fully automatic was used. One occupied vehicle was shot into, and three unoccupied vehicles were shot into. Miraculously, Kennedy said, no one was killed.

On May 22, 2024, multiple members of the group went into an apartment complex and fired about 100 rounds into six occupied apartments, one unoccupied building, and one unoccupied vehicle. They also stole a motorcycle about an hour before the shooting.

On May 25, 2024. Kenneth Duncan, 23, and others, committed capital murder in Pickens County, according to police. Killed was 46-year-old Darrell Bowden of Livingston.

Duncan, in the Tuscaloosa County cases, is charged with first-degree assault, six counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling, two counts of discharging into an occupied vehicle, discharging a firearm into an unoccupied building, theft of property, and criminal enterprise use of a machine gun.

Others charged are:

Tommy Summerville, 32, is charged with seven counts of discharging into an occupied dwelling, participating in a criminal enterprise, criminal enterprise use of a machine gun, and other discharging charges.

Donterio Nickson, 23, is charge with three counts of discharging into an occupied dwelling, two of counts criminal enterprise use of a machine gun. He is also charged federally with possession of a machine gun.

Jakilyn Nevels, 23, is charged with participating in a criminal enterprise, and five gun discharging crimes.

Steven Hill Jr., 25, is charged with first-degree theft and two gun discharging crimes.

Antwone Stowe, 24, is charged with four counts of discharging a gun into an occupied or unoccupied vehicle.

“This group right here will be slowed down, if not incarcerated, for a very long period of time,” Kennedy said. “And that makes a significant impact on the violent crime in our community.”