In the late afternoon of September 4, 2021, a dispute inside the Superior for Men store at the Roebuck Marketplace shopping center in Birmingham, Alabama, escalated into deadly violence. Cornelius Ja'Shawn Hilliard, a 21-year-old Black male, was fatally shot during the altercation. Another man, 26-year-old Reginald Curtis Crawford Jr., also lost his life in the gunfire.
The tragic event left two additional men wounded, who were subsequently transported to a local hospital for medical attention.
Following the shooting, a swift police response led to the pursuit of a vehicle believed to be connected to the incident. The chase ended when the suspect vehicle crashed near Tarrant-Huffman Road and Linthicum Street in Tarrant. Three male suspects were taken into custody at the scene of the crash, while a fourth individual managed to flee on foot and initially evaded capture. The investigation into the double homicide proceeded, with the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office reviewing the case to determine the full scope of charges.
In connection with the death of Cornelius Hilliard, authorities arrested 19-year-old Jureil Dowdell and an unidentified 17-year-old male. Dowdell was charged with murder and attempted murder, while the juvenile was charged with murder. Both were held in the Jefferson County Jail without bond. The death of Cornelius was a personal loss for Birmingham City Councilor John Hilliard, who was his distant cousin. Councilor Hilliard publicly expressed his grief and spoke to the broader impact of violent crime on families within the city.
