Rodrickus Barnett, a 30-year-old Black man, was killed in Montgomery, Alabama, late Sunday night on March 7, 2021. Just before midnight, officers were dispatched to the 700 block of Woodrow Street after reports of gunfire, arriving to find Barnett down with a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and the quiet residential stretch became the center of a homicide investigation as investigators tried to piece together what happened in the moments before the shots rang out.
In the immediate aftermath, police said the circumstances of the shooting were still being investigated, with no public explanation of what led up to the gunfire or who might have been involved. Detectives canvassed for information and urged anyone who knew anything to come forward through Montgomery Police, Secret Witness, or CrimeStoppers tip lines, signaling that they were still hunting for leads and trying to identify whoever pulled the trigger.
As the city absorbed the loss, funeral arrangements were announced through Phillips-Riley Funeral Home. Notices stated that Barnett had been a resident of Montgomery and that services were scheduled for Sunday, March 21, 2021, with a viewing held beforehand and burial to follow in Lucas Cemetery.
Public reports connected to the case indicated that, at least as of the early updates released right after the killing, investigators had not announced any arrests, suspects, or criminal charges tied to Barnett’s death. The case was described as an active homicide investigation, with the plea for tips suggesting detectives were still working to turn scattered details into a clear account of who was responsible and why.
