Downtown Montgomery Shooting Kills 2, Injures At Least 12

Rival gunmen opened fire in a crowded downtown Montgomery nightlife district around 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 4, killing two people and injuring at least 12 others, police said. Authorities identified the dead as 43-year-old Shalanda Williams and 17-year-old Jeremiah Morris; seven victims were under 20 (the youngest 16), and three people, including a juvenile, were in life‑threatening condition. Investigators recovered multiple weapons and shell casings, were reviewing surveillance and witness footage, and had made no arrests as of Sunday while federal and local agencies assisted the probe. Mayor Steven Reed announced a $50,000 reward for tips, and city and state leaders publicly reacted — Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall criticized city leadership while Reed defended the city’s anti-violence efforts. The shooting unfolded amid a busy weekend of events, including Alabama State’s homecoming, the Alabama National Fair and the Tuskegee–Morehouse game, and it has raised Montgomery’s homicide total for the year.