Willie Burch fought for his life at UAB Hospital for more than a week after being shot outside a teen club.
The 17-year-old Midfield High School junior was shot in the chest on March 26. The bullet entered just above his heart, traveled through his lung and struck his spine, said his father, Willie Thomas.
Despite the severity of that injury, Burch's family said they didn't lose hope until he was pronounced dead at 4:31 a.m. today.