A fight at an east Birmingham apartment complex left a teen boy injured by gunfire.
The shots erupted about 6:45 p.m. Wednesday at Monarch Ridge Apartments, formerly known as Valley Brook Apartments.
Officer Truman Fitzgerald said the juvenile sustained a non-life-threatening injury.
Fitzgerald said the shooting stemmed from a group fight.
Video posted to social media showed multiple people gathered in the courtyard. There was arguing going on, which led to a physical altercation between two people in the parking lot.
The video showed small children, who appeared to be younger than school-age, in the immediate area of the fist fight.
Several minutes in the fight and a shot rang out. Roughly nine more shots followed.
One woman could be yelling, “Where’s my children?” Another person was heard saying, “Get the children in the house.”
More fights continued even after police arrived as officers tried to get control of the unruly crowd.
Police have not announced any arrests.
Earlier Monday, Birmingham police Chief Scott Thurmond addressed the rash of violence in the city, including nine homicides in nine days. Earlier Wednesday, a 16-year-old girl was fatally shot.
The chief said there has to be more community involvement. “The police can’t be on every street corner and in every home all the time,’’ he said. “That’s not our job.”
“The community has to police each other. When you see someone doing something wrong or know they’re engaging in activities with people they shouldn’t, somebody needs to say something,’’ he said. “When people start checking each other, things will change.”
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