In the spring of 2022, the life of David Gibbs Westbrook Jr., a 50-year-old male, was tragically cut short in Birmingham, Alabama. A respected research scientist and lab manager at the University of Alabama at Birmingham for over two decades, he was a cherished member of his community, known for his kindness and active volunteerism with organizations like Birmingham AIDS Outreach.
On the night of May 23, 2022, Westbrook had taken his beloved dog, Dankers, for a walk at a soccer field in
the Woodlawn community, a routine he often enjoyed. After the walk, as he sat in his car preparing to leave, an unknown assailant approached his vehicle. The suspect, described as a male wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and dark track pants with a white stripe, fired at Westbrook as he was attempting to back out of his parking space on 54th Street North. The vehicle then rolled and collided with a utility pole.
Birmingham Police and Fire and Rescue personnel were dispatched to the scene shortly before 11:00 p.m., where they found Westbrook suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The motive for this senseless act of violence remains unknown, and it left his family, including his wife Ginny Morgan Westbrook, friends, and colleagues heartbroken and searching for answers.
In the aftermath, the Birmingham Police Department launched a homicide investigation. Surveillance footage captured a person of interest running from the scene, but the individual has not been publicly identified. In an effort to generate leads, Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama has offered a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to an arrest in the case. As of early 2026, no arrests have been made, and the case remains an unsolved homicide. The community continues to mourn the loss of a man described as a wonderful friend and a valued member of the community, while his loved ones hold out hope for justice.
