Birmingham suspect’s 76-year-old grandfather among two dead in shooting spree, father one of two wounded

Two people killed when police say a man went on a domestic-related shooting rampage in west Birmingham have now been identified.

The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office identified the dead as Laquitta Charisse Dunn, 49, and Anthony Jackson, 76.

The shootings were domestic-related, and those close to the suspect told police he appears to have just “snapped.”

The suspect was taken into custody less than five hours after the shootings.

His name has not yet been released pending formal charges, but police say his father and grandfather were among the four victims. The shooter’s father remains critical, and Jackson was his grandfather.

The bloodshed began at 4:45 p.m. Thursday, West Precinct officers were dispatched to a report of multiple people shot at a home in the 1600 block of Dennison Avenue.

Officers made entry into the house and found Dunn, a beloved mother and grandmother, wounded inside. She was pronounced dead on the scene at 5:20 p.m.

Officer Truman Fitzgerald said they learned a man had also been wounded in the Dennison Avenue shooting, but he was not at the home when police arrived.

That victim showed up at Princeton Baptist Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. He was transferred to UAB Hospital he remains with critical injuries.

Fitzgerald said officers learned that the suspect may have also fired shots in the 1400 block of 17th Place S.W., which is close to the first scene.

Police went to that home, again made entry, and found Jackson and woman inside. Both were found in a basement den area.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced Jackson at 5:50 p.m.

The woman was taken to UAB Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Authorities believe the suspect forced someone else to drive him from the Dennison Avenue home to the 17th Place S.W. house.

He fled before police arrived but was taken into custody in Five Points West about 9:15 p.m. after a massive search that included Jefferson County’s Star 1 helicopter.

The suspect’s grandfather and a family friend were shot at the 17th Place S.W. home, and his father and another family friend were shot at the Dennison Avenue home.

“So, this is a shooter who knew every single person who he shot,’’ Fitzgerald said.

Dozens of family members and friends flocked to the crime scenes, visibly distraught by the carnage.

“This is senseless,’’ said friend and neighbor Evelyn Koech. “It’s not fair.”

Dunn, Koech said, was joyful and friendly.

“Her grandchildren she loved, her kids she loved,’’ Dunn said. “She was just an uplifting person.”

“She didn’t bother nobody,’’ Koech said.

“It’s not fair,’’ Koech said. “This mother, this sister, this daughter, this grandmother has lost her life and for what?”

“We all know we got to leave here at some point and time, but this is just crazy,’’ she said. “She was just a humble spirit person. She was loved.”

The victims are the 96th and 97th homicides this year. Of those, eight have been ruled justifiable and aren’t deemed criminal.

In all of Jefferson County, there have been 122 homicides 2024, including the 97 in Birmingham.

Anyone with additional information is asked to call homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.