On the evening of April 8, 2017, the life of 39-year-old Kerry Lafoy Minter, a Black / African American male, was tragically cut short in Birmingham, Alabama. In the 4400 block of Eli Avenue Southwest, what began as a social gathering with several other individuals, where they were drinking alcohol, took a fatal turn. An argument broke out among the group, escalating to the point of gunfire.
Responding to the scene, officers from the Birmingham Police Department's West Precinct
discovered Minter on the ground, suffering from a gunshot wound. The officers immediately began to administer CPR in an effort to save his life. Their attempts were continued by the arrival of Birmingham Fire and Rescue, who then transported Minter to UAB Hospital. Despite the efforts of first responders and medical personnel, Kerry Minter was pronounced dead at the hospital.
In the aftermath of the shooting, investigators were met with limited cooperation from the witnesses present at the time of the incident, which initially made it difficult to piece together the precise sequence of events that led to Minter's death. However, the investigation did lead to a significant development. On April 27, 2017, a suspect, 39-year-old Dewayne Whittingdon, turned himself in to the authorities. Whittingdon was subsequently charged with the murder of Kerry Minter and was held on a $75,000 bond.
