On a Sunday afternoon in Bessemer, Alabama, the life of Justin Demorman Groom, a 32-year-old Black man from nearby Homewood, was cut short by gunfire. Remembered as a beloved father, brother, and son, Justin was fatally shot on March 27, 2022.
The incident unfolded around 2:20 p.m. in the parking lot of the Plush Bar and Grill, located in the 4000 block of Ninth Avenue North.
Bessemer police officers responded to a call about a person shot and arrived to find Justin suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators soon learned that the shooting stemmed from a verbal dispute. According to the Bessemer Police Department, Justin and another man had exchanged words. The argument escalated, leading to both men drawing firearms and a shootout occurring in the parking lot. "This is another murder that could have been avoided by not allowing a verbal argument to escalate to using firearms," said police Lt. Christian Clemons.
Within days of the shooting, authorities announced an arrest in the case. Larry James Knight Jr., who was 29 years old at the time, was taken into custody and charged with murder for his alleged role in Justin Groom’s death.
Following his arrest, Knight was booked into the Jefferson County Jail, where he was held on a $250,000 bond. As of March 2022, the case against him was proceeding through the judicial system.
