Erskine M. Hawkins, a 47-year-old male, was fatally shot in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sunday, July 16, 2017. The incident unfolded in the late afternoon in the 900 block of Koehler Street Southwest in the city's Arlington-West End neighborhood. The shooting was prompted by allegations that Hawkins had sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl.
According to police reports, the teenage girl disclosed the alleged assault to her family, which led to a confrontation. Investigators believe that a male family member of the girl was responsible for the shooting. Shortly after the allegations were made, the fatal encounter took place. Police were called to the scene where they found Hawkins suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Birmingham police stated that they were confident a family member of the teenage girl was the perpetrator. They indicated that witnesses had provided information to that effect and that investigators were actively working to identify and locate this individual. The police emphasized the tragic nature of the situation, where family members allegedly took matters into their own hands, resulting in a homicide. While the investigation focused on a family member as the suspect, public records do not indicate that an arrest was ever made in connection with the death of Erskine Hawkins. The case remains a stark reminder of the violent consequences of retaliatory actions.
