BIRMINGHAM, AL — Police shot and killed a suspect outside an Alabama hospital Thursday afternoon after officers responded to a complaint near UAB St. Vincent’s Birmingham. Authorities have not said what sparked the encounter or what happened before shots were fired.
Birmingham police said the incident began around 12:35 p.m. in the 2700 block of University Boulevard. Investigators are still working to determine the circumstances using multiple sources.
Police have not explained what triggered the shooting
Officials have not identified the complaint that brought officers to the area. They also have not said whether the suspect was armed, whether officers tried to detain or arrest the person, or how many officers fired their weapons.
Police did not take questions during a Thursday afternoon news briefing. They said more information would be released as it becomes available.
UAB alerts kept staff and patients away from part of the campus
Before police gave their full update, the UAB Hospital system sent out a B-ALERT about an officer-involved shooting outside UAB St. Vincent’s Birmingham. The message said the scene was secure and told people to avoid the North Tower area and Level A of the parking deck.
UAB later said no patients or employees were involved or injured. The health system added that there was no active threat to the campus.
Coroner notified as multiple law enforcement units respond
Multiple law enforcement agencies went to the area, and crime scene tape was set up around part of the site. The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office said it had been notified of a death nearby and sent a deputy coroner to gather information.
At the time of the first response, the coroner’s office said it did not yet know the circumstances of the death. Questions remain about body-camera footage, surveillance video, the suspect’s identity and which agency will handle the investigation into the use of force.
Investigation continues as officials review multiple sources
Police said investigators are trying to reconstruct the shooting from several sources, including possible video and witness accounts. Officials have not said whether hospital operations were affected beyond the temporary restrictions around the North Tower and parking deck.
The case remains under review as authorities work to establish what led to the fatal encounter outside the Birmingham hospital campus.
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