On a tragic Friday evening in Birmingham, Alabama, the life of 24-year-old Ronald DeShawn Smith Jr. was cut short in a hail of gunfire. The incident, which also claimed the life of 22-year-old Anthony D. 'Boosie' Murry Jr., unfolded on November 12, 2021, in the 1100 block of 33rd Street Southwest. Smith was a Black male.
The Birmingham Police Department was alerted to the violence by a ShotSpotter notification, indicating that more than 30 rounds had been fired in the area. Upon their arrival at approximately 6:30 p.m., officers discovered a grim scene. Inside a vehicle, they found Smith and Murry in the backseat, both having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of medical responders, both men were pronounced dead at the scene shortly before 7 p.m.
Outside the vehicle, two other individuals were found with what were determined to be non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. They were subsequently transported to UAB Hospital for treatment. The initial investigation by the Birmingham Police Department suggested that all four individuals knew each other.
Evidence gathered at the scene, including the recovery of several weapons from within the vehicle, pointed to the likelihood that the shots were fired from outside the car. As of initial reports, no suspects had been taken into custody. The motive behind the shooting remained unclear as detectives from the Birmingham Police Department's Homicide Division launched a full investigation into the double homicide. There have been no subsequent public announcements regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in the murders of Ronald DeShawn Smith Jr. and Anthony Murry Jr.
