Police said gunfire erupted during a gathering on Holley Avenue in the Sandusky community.
BIRMINGHAM, AL — Birmingham police are investigating a mass shooting that killed two people and wounded five others Thursday night in the Sandusky community, where officers found seven adults shot after responding to Holley Avenue.
The shooting brought a large police response to the 100 block of Holley Avenue shortly after 8:30 p.m. Thursday. Authorities said the victims were at or near a gathering when gunfire broke out. No arrests had been announced as of Saturday, and investigators had not said how many shooters may have been involved.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office identified the people killed as Bernard Duane Montez Watts, 50, and Diandra Young Johnson, 33, both of Birmingham. Police first reported one death Thursday night, then confirmed Friday morning that a second person had died. City officials said two wounded people remained in critical condition and three others were recovering from their injuries.
Officers were called to the area on reports that multiple people had been shot. When they arrived, they found seven adults with gunshot wounds. Police said preliminary evidence showed some type of gathering was taking place before the shooting. Birmingham Police Department Public Information Officer De’Rell Freeman said investigators were still trying to determine what led to the gunfire. “We have a lot of digging to do to figure out what transpired in this case,” Freeman said.
Investigators reported finding more than 30 shell casings at the scene. Freeman said officers could not immediately say how many people fired weapons, but described a heavy burst of gunfire. A police helicopter assisted from the air Thursday night while officers searched the area. Detectives also took numerous witnesses to police headquarters for questioning. Police said no children were injured.
The shooting happened in a neighborhood that residents told police is not usually known for violent incidents. Freeman said that made the scene especially troubling for officers who responded. Police kept part of the area closed for several hours while they collected evidence, marked shell casings and interviewed people who were nearby when the shooting started.
Deputy Chief of Public Safety Carlton L. Peeples called the shooting unacceptable in a statement Friday. “Two people have lost their lives, two others remain in critical condition, and three more are recovering from injuries,” Peeples said. He said the city could not allow violence to become normal or accepted. Crime Stoppers announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.
Birmingham City Council Pro Tem LaTonya Tate, who represents District 9, said the shooting came days after city leaders and community groups marked Gun Violence Awareness Month at a council meeting. Tate said the city was mourning another tragedy that had taken lives and affected many more people. She said the investigation was still underway and law enforcement was gathering more details.
Friends of Johnson said her death left them stunned. Kalani Shields, who knew Johnson, described her as a loving mother and said the news was heartbreaking. Another friend, Semaj McGee, said she tried calling Johnson after seeing reports of the shooting because she struggled to believe Johnson had died. Their comments added a personal picture of the loss as police continued to search for the people responsible.
The Holley Avenue shooting was one of two deadly shootings reported in Birmingham within 24 hours. In a separate Friday shooting, police said one man was killed after an argument led to gunfire. Authorities said another person in that case suffered life-threatening injuries. Police have not said the cases are connected.
The Sandusky investigation remained open Saturday, with no suspects publicly named and no arrests announced. The next major step is the identification of those responsible as detectives review evidence, question witnesses and await further updates on the surviving victims.
Author note: Last updated June 6, 2026.