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A 13-year-old boy has been identified as the child killed Saturday afternoon in a double shooting in east Birmingham.
Police identified the boy as Jaylon Palmore.
East Precinct officers were dispatched at 2:50 p.m. to 7512 First Ave. South on a report of two people shot. When they arrived on the scene, they found Jaylon on the ground with a gunshot wound to the abdomen, said Sgt. Rod Mauldin.
A second victim, an adult, had been shot in the arm.
Both were taken to the hospital.
Jaylon was pronounced dead a short time later at Children’s of Alabama.
Mauldin said the preliminary investigation indicates shots were fired from two unknown vehicles toward the victims. Jaylon was not in a vehicle when he was shot.
Detectives have not established a clear motive. No arrests have been made.
Jaylon was in the eighth grade at Ossie Ware Mitchell Middle School. “He was a quiet kid that excelled in the classroom,’’ Mayor Randall Woodfin posted on Facebook. “Jaylon was murdered yesterday while on his front porch, an innocent victim of a bullet meant for someone else. I can barely put into words the anger and heartbreak I feel right now.”
“I’m tired of mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, and neighbours having to grieve,’’ the mayor wrote. “I’m tired of our young people being forced to process the death of a friend or classmate.”
“I’m tired of cowards robbing our children of their future and not bearing the responsibility for their reckless actions,’’ Woodfin said. “Adults must do better. Your personal beef with other adults should not cost innocent children their lives.”
Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Mark Sullivan said Jaylon’s death is heartbreaking.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and with the students, faculty and staff at Ossie Ware Mitchell,’’ he said. “We will lend support to the school staff, and especially the students as they wrestle with this tragedy.”
“Grief counsellors will be at the school. We encourage the community to come forward and provide information that will help law enforcement identify and arrest individuals responsible for this act of violence,’’ he said.
Jaylon is Birmingham’s 26th – and youngest – homicide victim of this year and the seventh teen killed in the city. Three 16-year-olds, two 17- year-olds and one 18-year- old have also been killed.
All were students.
Additionally, two other teens, ages 15 and 18, have been killed this year in Jefferson County but not in Birmingham’s city limits. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 32 homicides including the 26 in Birmingham.
Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
