Michigan football player in Birmingham for training shot multiple times while buying a gun
A football player from Michigan was shot in Birmingham during a gun sale that was brokered on social media.
Ethan Carter, 18, was shot multiple times – including wounds to his skull, hand, arm and chest, according to a Facebook post from Hudsonville High School in Michigan, where Carter was a former student-athlete.
He had recently graduated and has committed to play football at Davenport University.
The high school said he was in Birmingham for training.
“By miracle, the shot to his skull did not go through,” according to the high school’s post.
“Praise God. He is currently conscious and has full function this morning, but he is beat up pretty badly. He is currently in a trauma unit in Alabama.”
The high school shared information from Carter’s mother that said the shooting bruised his brain but did not require surgery.
He could be released from the hospital as early as Tuesday.
Birmingham police did not identify the victim by name, but said the shooting happened just before 6 p.m. Saturday.
Officers responded to a call of a person shot near Winchester Drive and Ridgewood Circle on the city’s east side.
They arrived to find Carter wounded on the ground.
He was taken by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service to UAB Hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Sgt. LaQuitta Wade said the preliminary investigation suggests that the victim had arranged through a social media platform to buy a Glock firearm.
There was nothing to suggest the sale was illegal, police said.
The transaction escalated into a robbery, during which the victim was shot, and his vehicle was stolen.
“The Birmingham Police Department strongly urges the public to never purchase firearms off the street or through social media platforms,” Wade said.
“These types of transactions are among the most dangerous and often result in violence.”
“For your safety and the safety of others,” she said. “Always use legal and licensed dealers when acquiring a firearm.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham robbery detectives at 205-254-1753 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.