In the fading light of a December afternoon, a gathering of mourners became the scene of a shocking act of violence that claimed the life of 38-year-old Roderick Hall of Midfield, Alabama. On Friday, December 13, 2024, Hall, a male also known by the nickname 'Brick,' was shot and killed outside the Brighton Community Center, located near Bessemer. The shooting erupted at approximately 2:18 p.m.
during a funeral repass being held for another individual.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of two people shot and discovered Hall and another man, 27-year-old D'Angelo La'Marcus Samuel of Birmingham, suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of Brighton Fire & Rescue, both men were pronounced deceased at the scene. The sudden violence shattered the somber atmosphere of the repass, sending attendees scrambling for cover and leaving a community in shock. One witness, who had been inside cooking, recounted hearing the gunshots and immediately hiding in a closet to escape the danger.
In the days following the double homicide, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office identified 27-year-old James David Abercrombie as the suspect. He was subsequently taken into custody and faces a charge of Capital Murder, for which no bond has been set. Abercrombie also faces four counts of Discharging a Firearm into an Occupied Dwelling, each carrying a $15,000 bond, and a charge of Certain Persons Forbidden to Possess a Pistol, with a bond of $6,000. The investigation into the tragic shooting remains ongoing.
