Derrick Antonio Blackmon, a 45-year-old man from Birmingham, was killed on the afternoon of March 31, 2026, in the North Titusville area of Birmingham, Alabama. His death unfolded on Iota Avenue, where a ShotSpotter alert sent Birmingham police officers to the 300 block shortly after 4:40 p.m. When officers arrived, they found Blackmon unresponsive on the front porch of a residence with a gunshot wound.
Birmingham Fire and Rescue responded, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The shooting left a heavy police presence in the neighborhood as investigators began trying to piece together what had happened in the moments before the gunfire. Early reports indicated that authorities were still working to determine the circumstances, including whether Blackmon lived at the home where he was found. Family and friends arrived at the scene soon after, visibly shaken as officers secured the area with crime scene tape. Police described the case as a homicide investigation and said there was not believed to be an ongoing threat to the public at that time.
Within two days, Birmingham police announced an arrest. Authorities identified the suspect as Jimmy Hollis, 39, of Birmingham. Police said Hollis was arrested on April 1, 2026, by the department’s VCAT team in connection with Blackmon’s killing. He was charged with murder and taken to the Jefferson County Jail, where police said he was being held without bond.
Blackmon’s death was reported as Birmingham’s 11th murder investigation of 2026. His obituary listed his birth date as May 22, 1980, and said he departed this life on March 31, 2026. Funeral arrangements were handled by Dante Jelks Funeral Home in Birmingham, with a viewing scheduled for April 16 and funeral services scheduled for April 17.
