Broad daylight Tuscaloosa shootout leaves 1 injured, houses damaged; 4 jailed including 2 juveniles
An exchange of gunfire Wednesday morning in Tuscaloosa left one person wounded and four charged, including two juveniles.
Tuscaloosa police responded about 9 a.m. to the area of Kaulton Road on a report of a shooting. They arrived to find one person who had sustained a non-life-threatening wound.
Officers also located a vehicle with several suspects inside, said Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy.
The investigation showed that two males approach a residence and fired on a young man who was standing outside. That man then returned fired.
Several nearby houses were also struck by bullets.
“The motive for the shooting is still under investigation, but perceived arguments on social media may have been a factor,’’ Kennedy said.
Responding officers and dispatchers did an excellent job of receiving and communicating information to other responding units, which resulted in the suspects being observed trying to flee the area in a vehicle. Both suspects were stopped and held for investigators.
One juvenile is charged with attempted murder and several counts of discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling and a vehicle. He was charged as an adult and taken to the Tuscaloosa County Jail.
His name is not being released by authorities because of his age.
A second juvenile is charged with certain persons prohibited to possess a pistol. He was placed in juvenile detention. His name was also withheld.
Johnny B. Hill Jr., 19, was charged with attempted murder and several counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied swelling and vehicle. Hill was shot during the incident but was not seriously injured and taken to jail.
Ja’Michael William Bradley, 20, was charged with bond revocation on a prior first-degree assault charge. He also was jailed.
Kennedy said investigators are working with federal officials to possibly pursue federal gun charges.