Alabama News

Homewood Mayor Alex Wyatt continues to call on the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to allow the family of Jabari Peoples to view body camera footage from the June 23 fatal shooting.

“As the Mayor of Homewood, I continue to urge the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to allow the family of Jabari Peoples to view the body camera footage from the June 23 shooting incident,” Wyatt said in a Monday statement. “Their request is completely understandable.”

Wyatt said the city legally doesn’t have the authority to release the footage because ALEA has taken over the investigation. Under the law, it controls access to evidence because it is the custodian of the footage.

“We know this is an incredibly difficult time for everyone involved,” Wyatt said in his statement, “and want objective results made available to the family and the public as quickly as possible.”

Also Monday, the family’s attorneys – including Ben Crump and Leroy Maxwell – announced they will hold a press conference Tuesday to announce the findings of an independent autopsy they had done.

Read full coverage of the case here

Peoples, 19, was a 2024 graduate of Aliceville High School where he was standout track athlete and football player.

Peoples had just finished his freshman year at Alabama A & M where he was studying computer information and criminal justice with hopes of becoming a law enforcement officer, specifically a detective.

He was shot to death that Monday night in Homewood Soccer Park.

Homewood police say a veteran officer, who has not been publicly identified, approached the vehicle to investigate because of a recent increase in criminal activity in and around the city’s athletic complexes.

The officer, police say, smelled marijuana and ordered Peoples and his female friend out of the vehicle.

Police say the encounter ended with Peoples resisting, breaking away from the officer as he tried to handcuff him, and grabbing a gun from the driver’s side door pocket.

The officer shot Peoples, who was pronounced dead a short time later at UAB Hospital.

Peoples’ family and attorneys disagreed with that narrative, saying that Peoples wasn’t armed and didn’t resist.

The Homewood Police Department turned the investigation over to ALEA, which is standard policy for many officer-involved shootings.

ALEA denied the family’s request to see the footage, saying the release of the video would jeopardize the ongoing investigation.

Though Alabama provides a way for families to view body camera and dash cam videos, the same law also allows law enforcement to withhold the footage for investigative purposes.

There have been several protests following the fatal shooting, including at the Homewood Police Department, ALEA’s office in west Homewood, Homewood City Hall and during the World Police and Fire Games in the Birmingham area.

The family’s attorneys have filed a motion in Jefferson County Circuit Court seeking to preserve critical evidence and identify parties as the family considers a potential wrong death and civil right lawsuit.

The City of Homewood on Friday filed a response in Jefferson County Court seeking to have the petition dismissed, citing ALEA as the custodian of the footage and all other investigative material.

Peoples’ funeral was held Saturday at Aliceville City Hall.

Diego Pavia was more subdued than usual. The Vanderbilt quarterback has a habit of getting excited and dropping profanity in interviews, including after he and his Commodore teammates beat then-No. 1 Alabama football in October.

By the time he appeared at SEC media days on Monday, Pavia had clearly been coached up. He never took the bait to start talking trash, even when the opportunity was offered.

When asked about facing the Crimson Tide again in 2025, he kept his answer simple.

“That stadium is electric,” Pavia said of what he was looking forward to. “I’ve heard about it. And you, just going to come down to who’s more prepared that week and who wants it more.”

To say Vanderbilt beating Alabama rattled the world of college football was underselling the response. In one game, the mighty Crimson Tide dynasty was shattered, while the perception of the Commodores went from the ultimate SEC doormat, playing in an active construction site, to the sport’s upset kings.

Pavia was a ball of energy after the game. Recalling it on Monday, he was quick to credit his teammates.

“”We had (tight end) Eli Stowers, who had a big game for us that week,” Pavia said. “And then obviously (wide receiver) Junior Sherill had a big week too. But I think it’s just who comes more prepared to the game. And I feel like that week, we were the more prepared team.”

The rematch is coming Oct. 4 in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Earlier this offseason, UA wideout Ryan Williams made headlines talking about the upcoming game against Vanderbilt, claiming the Crimson Tide will “Kill an ant with a sledgehammer.”

Pavia then shared rap lyrics to his Instagram story, laid over a photo of Williams. However, when asked about it on Monday, he remained polite.

“Obviously he’s a great competitor,” Pavia said. “The kid is naturally talent, gift from God, you know? So I’ll be excited to play him in his home stadium.”

Alabama is scheduled to open the 2025 season on Aug. 30, at Florida State. The Crimson Tide will begin preseason camp in early August.

Samford pitcher Cameron Keshock was selected in the 12th round of the 2025 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Monday, going to the Pittsburgh Pirates with the No. 353 overall pick.

The 6-foot-7 Keshock, who began his college career at Auburn, posted a 5-4 record with a 5.74 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 77 innings (15 games) for the Bulldogs this season. The former Spanish Fort High School standout pitched in a total of 10 games at Auburn in 2023 and 2024.

Samford had two players drafted in 2024, shortstop Garrett Howe by Cleveland in the 11th round and pitcher Michael Ross by Minnesota in the 18th round. The 2025 draft concludes on Monday, with 20 rounds total.

Make it two former UAB baseball players that will head to Atlanta.

The Braves drafted Blazers pitcher and Corner High alum Colin Daniel in the 11th round of the 2025 MLB Draft on Monday with pick No. 337.

The right-handed pitcher will join fellow Blazer Logan Braunschweig, who was selected by the Braves in the ninth round of the draft with pick No. 227.

A part of UAB’s starting rotation, Daniel posted a 3.15 ERA and a 6-5 record on the mound as a junior. He struck out 80 batters and walked 15 across 91.1 innings pitched, allowing a .235 opponent batting average.

An all-American Athletic Conference selection after being named the league’s preseason pitcher of the year, he was named AAC Pitcher of the Week four times and threw a complete-game shutout against Rice to claim national honors from the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

He also claimed all-conference honors as a sophomore after posting a 3.13 ERA in 14 starts with 76 strikeouts and 18 walks.

A former star at Corner High School, he was a Class 5A all-state pick in 2022 after going 8-0-1 on the mound with a 1.63 ERA and 99 strikeouts as a senior.

He also batted .505 with 49 hits, 27 RBIs, 22 runs scored and 8 stolen bases, being named to AL.com’s Birmingham Terrific 20 as a junior and senior.

Walmart is offering a ton of new Rollbacks and Flash Deals this week on select patio furniture sets, including a major discount on the highly-rated Costway 4-Piece Outdoor Rattan Patio Furniture Set.

The Costway Patio Furniture Set usually sells for $439, but is now on sale for only $169 and includes free shipping. The outdoor conversation set comes with one love seat, two single chairs and a glass-top coffee table. It features a black rattan frame with white weather-resistant cushions.

RELATED: Brooks softest running shoe is now on sale for a limited time

A standout feature of the Costway Patio Furniture Set is the zippered cushion covers, offering easy removal and cleaning. This adds convenience for maintaining a fresh and inviting patio set, especially in outdoor environments. Meanwhile, the patio set features a combination of comfort and support provided by the “humanized seat design.” This includes soft cushions combined with slightly tilted backrests and armrests, enhancing the seating experience for extended periods of relaxation and conversation.

The Costway 4-Piece Patio Furniture Set is also a top-rated item with a 4.6 star rating overall on Walmart’s website.

One promising review reads, “I can’t begin to stress enough how much I enjoy this set, especially for the price! The only downside I’d say would be the build time. It took about 90 minutes total. They have not faded in all day direct sunlight for months. Durable too! Funky cushion smells went away after a week of being outside.”

Those interested in this deal can checkout the full listing on Walmart’s website here.

This is an opinion column.

Greg McElroy is no dummy.

The guy was a finalist to be a Rhodes Scholar at the end of his time as Alabama’s quarterback.

So he’s not your average media guy.

That’s what made Monday morning’s headline moment so interesting.

Or confusing.

He made himself the SEC Media Days main character and then seemed annoyed by the response.

Nick Saban might not be done coaching?

That’s the nugget he dropped at the end of a segment with Paul Finebaum on the WJOX radio show he does daily, along with Cole Cubelic.

“A very much in the know person that I have a lot of respect for and have spent a lot of time around and just really, really admire, they seem to think Nick Saban is not done coaching,” McElroy said. “He’s pretty adamant that he thinks Nick Saban will be coaching again.”

Uhhh…

What?

That would be the biggest news bomb at media days since the Texas/Oklahoma move to the SEC dropped at the 2021 event.

“If it wasn’t someone notable, I would never say a word,” McElroy said when the initial statement was met with skepticism.

The story spiraled from there as it became the topic of the day.

A year ago, Saban was still the star of the show as he made one of his first TV appearances in his new job with ESPN. Now he’s the center of attention again because of his genius former quarterback’s radio show.

And it’s almost like McElroy didn’t realize the hornet’s nest he kicked.

As the story grew legs, McElroy was asked about it on the SEC Network later Monday morning. He tried to explain he didn’t think Saban would return to coaching but was simply relaying the fact that somebody or somebodies important who are telling him this.

“Interpret that however you will,” McElroy said before explaining they are “people who would be somewhat knowledgeable about something like this” when Finebaum asked him to name his sources.

Maybe this was Deep Throat blowing the top off Watergate.

Or McElroy, though smart, is no Woodward nor Bernstein.

As Finebaum and others on the SEC Network continued to needle McElroy about the news he made, the level of frustration rose.

“You want to talk about a nothingburger,” McElroy said rolling his eyes as Finebaum joked about breaking news about to drop. “Unbelievable.”

Finebaum zinged him again a little bit later as they went to commercial.

“What is wrong with you?” McElroy said with a grin but unmistakable frustration. “You are getting us in trouble just saying it. Everyone is overreacting. Goodness gracious.”

Right, well there’s a good rule of thumb to consider here for McElroy.

You can’t drop a bomb and then be surprised it blew up.

You really can’t do that at a media beehive like the one buzzing Monday in Atlanta.

This story went viral at the speed of light because of course it did. This conference could use the star power that has been lacking since Saban retired from coaching in January 2024.

Nobody credible has even hinted at the idea of Saban trading his ESPN College GameDay headset for one he’d likely throw on a sideline.

So to suggest the 73-year-old could be even considering trading the golf course for August grass drills, it’s going to be seismic.

Of course this happened the same day Lane Kiffin made the media day rounds. And the former Saban OC didn’t miss the opportunity to go full Gramatica on McElroy’s hornet’s nest.

“I have thought that,” Kiffin said on the SEC Network set. “I have thought that it would be one year in the media, then back. And I kind of thought it might be the NFL just because he’s so sharp still.”

This story had all the elements of an SEC Media Days mini-drama.

It was dismissed by almost everyone who discussed it — even by the former QB who launched it — but it still dominated the day.

This event always crowns a main character.

A decade-and-a-half after striding into SEC Media Days as Alabama’s national championship-winning quarterback, Greg McElroy became the star of the show.

He planted a seed on Birmingham radio that grew like a weed, whether he liked it or not.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.

Diego Pavia might be the new boogieman for Auburn football.

The gritty Vanderbilt quarterback is now 2-0 inside Jordan-Hare Stadium, beating the Tigers with Vanderbilt and New Mexico State. Last year’s win with Vanderbilt was a 17-7 slugfest and the win made the Commodores bowl eligible for the first time since 2018.

The game was big for Vanderbilt and painful for Auburn in numerous ways. When asked what he remembers about the 2024 contest, one of the first things Pavia pointed out didn’t have to do with the result.

“I remember one of their linebackers kinda talking crazy before the game, saying we weren’t gonna be able to put up points or something like that,” Pavia said. That just added fuel to the fire, and I really enjoy that kind of stuff.”

Pavia said he didn’t remember who the specific player was, but talked more about how those situations fuel him.

“I love competition. When someone talks, maybe I talk some or something like that,” Pavia said. “It’s what fuels me and it’s always a good time to step onto that field.”

Pavia had one of his worst games of the season against Auburn last year, but a few big plays, along with a stifling defense, propelled Vanderbilt to the win. Pavia finished the contest 9-for-22 with 143 passing yards and just 26 rushing yards, but added two important touchdown passes.

Now 2-0 against Auburn, Pavia will finally get a chance to face the Tigers on his home field in 2025. The Tigers will meet the Commodores on Nov. 8 in Nashville, and the veteran quarterback is excited for the matchup.

“They run a well-ran program and they’ve got some good talent there too,” Pavia said. “It’ll be a fun game in Nashville this year.”

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m

Alabama has sent rescue teams from six more cities to help find people still missing from the July 4th floods in Texas, Gov. Kay Ivey announced.

Emergency responders from fire departments in Mountain Brook, Hoover, Guntersville, Vestavia Hills, Decatur and Fort Payne left for Texas on Saturday.

They include two swift water teams specially trained and equipped to operate in large-scale flood zones, the governor’s office said.

“We are sending more boots on the ground from Central and North Alabama, and these brave men and women are trained, prepared and committed to making a difference,” Ivey said.

“Our state is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with Texas in this critical hour. As long as there’s help to be given, Alabama will be in the fight.”

The deployment follows a 40-person team – Task Force I – sent to Texas on Thursday. That team included responders from the Mobile, Tuscaloosa, and Saraland fire departments.

The two newly-deployed task forces operate separately from Task Force I. All the teams will be engaged in 12-hour periods for up to 14 days.

The July 4th flooding along the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country has claimed at least 132 lives, the Associated Press reported, including members of at least two families in Alabama.

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On Sunday, a new round of heavy rains led to more high water rescues and prompted fears of more flooding along the Guadalupe River.

Rescue efforts were paused but resumed on Monday, the Associated Press reported.

The 2025 MLB Home Run Derby is set for 8 p.m. ET on Monday at Atlanta’s Truist Park. While some big names such as Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge and Ronald Acuna Jr. will not be participating, there are still some notable power hitters that will headline the annual marquee event.

Seattle’s Cal Raleigh is coming off a historic first half of the season, on his way to possibly logging the most home runs ever hit by a catcher. His 38 homers set an American League record for most before the All-Star break and were also the most ever by a catcher before the break.

At +300, Raleigh is the favorite to win the 2025 HR derby, but Washington’s James Wood (+425) should also be a top contender, as he is truly delivering an impressive breakthrough season. Matt Olson (+800), who is replacing Acuna, will naturally be the favorite for the home crowd. Junior Caminero is a very tempting longshot, too, at +1200.

There are several markets to wager on at DraftKings Sportsbook, including the HR Derby winner, finalists, total HRs overall, longest homer, Exit Velocity and more. We feature our favorite bets for the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby.

*All odds via DraftKings Sportsbook*

2025 MLB Home Run Derby Winner Odds

• Cal Raleigh +300
• Oneil Cruz +330
• James Wood +425
• Matt Olson +800
• Brent Rooker +850
• Byron Buxton +950
• Jazz Chisholm +1100
• Junior Caminero +1200

MLB Home Run Derby Winner: James Wood

Odds: +425 at DraftKings Sportsbook

Raleigh seems to be the obvious pick, but Wood will certainly give him a strong battle. The rising Nationals standout has a significant edge over Raleigh in Average HR Distance, 411 to 386 feet. Wood is top 15 in MLB in Average HR Distance, and Raleigh is 180th.

Wood is eighth in the Majors in average Exit Velocity (93.6) and Raleigh is 41st (91.8), per Baseball Savant. The Nationals slugger leads MLB in HR/FB rate at 32.4 percent, and the Mariners’ catcher is sixth at 27.0 percent.

Wood is 14 HRs behind Raleigh for the season, yet the 6-foot-7, 234-pounder can simply let loose for natural power in this event, even though Raleigh has stacked up more HRs during normal regular-season play.

Raleigh is a favorite to be a finalist at +130, and Wood offers an even better return at +220. Caminero, who is 12th in MLB in HR/FB rate at 22.1 percent, is an inviting finalist wager at +500.

Matt Olson Over 18.5 Home Runs in First Round

Odds: -120 at DraftKings Sportsbook

I am not forecasting Olson to win the 2025 HR Derby or be a finalist, but he will want to put on a good showing in front of the home folks as the Acuna replacement. Let’s not forget Olson hit 54 HRs in 2023, so he can be a contender to make it out of the first round when unleashing his pure power. I give him an extra edge on an early shot of adrenaline in his home park,

Olson’s Hard Hit Percentage of 54.4 percent for the first half of the season is the second-highest of his career in any season, with the 2023 mark of 55.1 percent in 2023 being higher. The average Exit Velocity of 93.8 is a career best, just ahead of 93.7 in ’23. Don’t wager on Olson for the full tournament, yet there is a good chance he will shine early on before exiting to a big ovation.

Most First Round Home Runs Head-to-Head: Byron Buxton Over Brent Rooker

Odds: -115 on DraftKings Sportsbook

Buxton should be a quality pick in several head-to-head matchups, and he is the best all-around player of any guy in the competition. It is good to see him healthy and getting the opportunity to fully reveal his natural pop. He owns the seventh-highest Isolated Power (.285) in MLB and the second-best of any hitter in the HR Derby. His Hard Hit Percentage of 55.3 is a career-high so far.

Player to record Highest Exit Velocity on an HR: Oneil Cruz

Odds: -135 at DraftKings Sportsbook

This is the advanced category that simply belongs to Cruz. He leads the Majors in average Exit Velocity (96.3) and Maximum EV (122.9). Every other competitor is at plus odds. Wager two units when going with Cruz. Wood, who is at +320, is second to Cruz in both EV categories among the HR Derby participants.

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Jackson 4-star quarterback Landon Duckworth is set to make his college decision on Friday.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound reigning Class 4A Back of the Year posted on social media that he will announce his college destination at 6 p.m. at the Jackson Community House.

RELATED: Meet the top senior recruits in the state

Duckworth told AL.com in June that his finalists were still South Carolina – where he was once committed – and Auburn.

The 247 composite rankings predict Duckworth has an 80 percent chance to commit to the Gamecocks again and a 20 percent chance to go to Ole Miss. On3 predicts Duckworth has an 85 percent chance to re-commit to South Carolina and a 12 percent to commit to the Rebels.

In leading Jackson to the Class 4A state title a year ago, Duckworth completed 67 percent of his passes for 3,439 yards and 39 touchdowns. He also rushed for 648 yards and 12 TDs. He was the MVP of the 4A championship game against Cherokee County.

Tank narrows it down

St. Paul’s 5-star LB Anthony “Tank” Jones, the top uncommitted senior recruit in the state, has announced his final three colleges.

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound senior has said his final choices are Alabama, Oregon and Texas A&M.

Jones finished his junior season with 84 solo tackles, 38 assists, 18 tackles for a loss and 16 sacks. He also had a pair of interceptions.

On offense, he scored 5 rushing TDs and 3 receiving touchdowns. The first-team Class 6A All-State selection also was a finalist for Lineman of the Year.

Jones is the No. 1 senior prospect in the state, according to the On3 Industry rankings and the No. 2 prospect in the 247 composite rankings.

Jones is scheduled to appear at Mobile County High School Media Days on July 28 as a representative of his team.

Other recruiting news:

Commitments:

Auburn 3-star LB Greg Williams announced his commitment to UNA. The 6-foot, 210-pound Williams also had offers from Alabama A&M and Gardner-Webb.

B.C. Rain 6-foot-4, 250-pound EDGE Aaron Moore is scheduled to commit at noon on Tuesday. His finalists include Louisiana, Troy, South Alabama, North Alabama and Georgia State.

Offers:

In basketball, Hoover senior Jackson Sheffield announced offers from Vanderbilt and Oklahoma. The 6-9 Sheffield also has offers from Tennessee, Mississippi State, South Florida and more.

Lee-Scott 6-foot senior Haiden Harper picked up his first D1 offer from Troy.