In the fall of 2016, a night of celebration surrounding a time-honored football rivalry in Birmingham, Alabama, took a tragic turn, ending the life of 20-year-old Demarcus D. Bennett. On the evening of Saturday, October 29, 2016, Bennett, a male resident of Fairfield, was caught in the heavy traffic that followed the Magic City Classic football game. While inside a vehicle with two female companions, an argument erupted with a man who had approached their car.
The verbal altercation escalated with frightening speed. The man who had argued with Bennett reportedly left the scene, only to return shortly after with a group of other men. In a sudden burst of violence, shots were fired into the car where Bennett and his friends sat. Bennett was struck in the chest by the gunfire. The two women in the car with him were also wounded in the attack.
Emergency services were called to the chaotic scene, and Bennett was rushed to a local hospital. Despite the efforts of medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. The two female victims were treated for their injuries and were expected to survive. The incident left the community shaken, turning a festive city event into the scene of a homicide.
In the weeks that followed, the Birmingham Police Department conducted an investigation into the deadly shooting. Their efforts led to the arrest of a suspect, 18-year-old Deontay Ford. He was taken into custody and subsequently charged with one count of murder for the death of Demarcus Bennett and two counts of assault for the injuries sustained by the two women. Ford was held in the Jefferson County Jail on a bond of $350,000. Further details regarding the progression of the case against Deontay Ford through the court system, including any trial or conviction, have not been made publicly available.
