In the Ensley community of Birmingham, Alabama, a Saturday afternoon was shattered by gunfire that claimed the life of 62-year-old Randy Rivers. On August 8, 2026, at approximately 12:38 p.m., Rivers was driving his vehicle on 47th Street when he was struck by bullets. The gunshot wound caused him to lose control of his car and crash into a nearby house.
Birmingham Police Department's West Precinct officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of 47th Street in Ensley following a ShotSpotter notification, and while en route, they received an additional call about the single-vehicle accident in the 1300 block of the same street. Upon their arrival, they discovered Rivers unresponsive inside the wrecked vehicle, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:09 p.m.
The investigation into the targeted shooting moved swiftly, and within three hours, the Birmingham Police Department's Violent Criminal Apprehension Team had a suspect in custody. Jeffery Matthews, a 27-year-old resident of Birmingham, was apprehended in the 2500 block of Mayfield Avenue S.W. in Ensley. While a specific motive for the deadly shooting has not been publicly disclosed by authorities, they have indicated that they believe the attack was not random and that Rivers was the intended target.
Following his arrest, Jeffery Matthews was formally charged with capital murder in connection with the slaying of Randy Rivers. He was initially held in the Birmingham City Jail until formal warrants were obtained on the following Monday. Subsequently, Matthews was transferred to the Jefferson County Jail, where he is being held without bond. The case against Matthews represents the 28th homicide in the city of Birmingham for the year. As the legal process begins, the overview of the case indicates a targeted act of violence that resulted in the death of Randy Rivers, with a suspect quickly apprehended and facing a capital murder charge, though the underlying reasons for the shooting remain part of the ongoing investigation.
