BIRMINGHAM, Ala. − A man has been arrested in Birmingham in relation to a mass shooting that occurred in September, resulting in the deaths of four individuals and injuring 17 others in the entertainment district of the city. Additionally, the suspect has been charged with two other murder cases.

Damien McDaniel, 22, from Fairfield, has been charged with capital murder and 17 counts of attempted murder connected to the mass shooting, as stated by Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond. He also faces further murder charges and three counts of attempted murder linked to two other victims.

According to police, on September 21, several shooters targeted a crowd in the busy Five Points South Entertainment District. Chief Thurmond referred to the incident as “a hit,” indicating that one individual was the main target while numerous bystanders were inadvertently caught in the crossfire.

In the aftermath, law enforcement collected over 100 shell casings from the crime scene. The deceased victims were identified as Anitra Hollman, 21; Tahj Booker, 27; Carlos McCain, 27; and Roderick Lynn Patterson Jr., 26.

During a news conference on Wednesday, Chief Thurmond indicated that the investigation into the mass shooting and other associated cases involving McDaniel is ongoing.

“After the tragic events at Five Points South, we made it our mission to identify, apprehend, and hold accountable everyone involved in this appalling and reckless mass shooting,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin in a statement on Wednesday. “Today’s developments are a significant stride toward justice.”

Charges Filed Against McDaniel for Two Additional Murders

McDaniel has been charged in connection with two additional homicides that occurred shortly after the mass shooting last month.

On September 19, Diontranet Brown, 35, was fatally shot at a bar in downtown Birmingham, and authorities indicate she was an innocent bystander. McDaniel is currently identified as the sole suspect and faces multiple murder charges in this incident.

Then, on September 22, McDaniel is alleged to have been involved in the murder of Jamarcus DeSean McIntyre, whose body was discovered fatally shot on a pavement northeast of downtown Birmingham. McDaniel has been charged with capital murder and three counts of attempted murder, while three other suspects have also been apprehended.

McDaniel is currently held without bond at the Jefferson County Jail.

Mayor Declares Gun Violence an ‘Epidemic’ in Birmingham

This Birmingham incident is among at least 420 mass shootings reported in the United States this year, as defined by the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit organization that categorizes a mass shooting as an event involving four or more victims.

It is one of the most recent shooting events that have shocked the city of Birmingham. Earlier in July, a shooting at a nightclub led to four fatalities. That same month also saw a shooting incident that resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including a 5-year-old child.

In response to the mass shooting, Mayor Woodfin stated that gun violence in Birmingham has reached an “epidemic level,” expressing a desire to collaborate with state officials to address this issue.