Man killed in ambush while pumping gas at busy Birmingham store; crowd of more than 100 at emotional scene

A man was shot and killed in an apparent ambush while he was pumping gas at a Birmingham convenience store Sunday evening.

Investigators believe the victim, whose identity has not yet been released, returned fire before he collapsed and died on the scene.

The victim’s father was killed nearly five years ago at another Birmingham gas station.

The city’s second killing of the day – which happened at the Circle K on busy Tallapoosa Street – drew a crowd of at least 100 people and led to officers putting out an emergency call for backup.

Officer Truman Fitzgerald said officers were dispatched to the business at 6 p.m. Sunday on a report of a person shot. They arrived on the scene to find the victim unresponsive in the parking lot.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced him dead on the scene.

Fitzgerald said the suspect, who has not yet been identified, approached the victim and opened fire. The victim’s vehicle was parked at a gas pump with the gas nozzle still in his tank.

“From evidence on the scene, it would appear that the victim did return fire,” Fitzgerald said.

“It was not random,’’ he said. “From the evidence our detectives have gathered, it would appear our victim was ambushed.”

Detectives are canvassing the business. No suspect has been arrested.

“There’s over 100 people at this scene,’’ Fitzgerald said. “If we could just get a few of them, one of them, to come forward and give us information,” it would help the investigation.

Fitzgerald said the crowd, though large, has been peaceful and backup was called solely because of the number of people there. “They’re just distraught over their loved one,’’ he said.

The victim is the city’s second homicide of the day, and the seventh in six days.

Earlier Sunday, a teen was killed in a shootout on the city’s southwest side.

There have been 24 homicides so far this year in Birmingham. Of those, two have been ruled justifiable and therefore aren’t deemed criminal.

“My question again is, how are we going to handle our disagreements,’’ Fitzgerald said. “The sad part about these scenes is what our community members are subjected to. Seeing how many people are distraught, it just goes to show you how badly our city is hurting right now.”

Anyone with information is asked to call homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.