Surveillance cameras key in arresting murder suspect seen in brutal viral video in Kingston

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Law enforcement believe the man who killed 43-year-old Juanderius Woods is now behind bars. Demarco Griffin, 27, of Birmingham has been taken into custody by the Birmingham Crime Reduction Team.

This all stemming from the May 29th shooting where police believe over 100 bullets were fired.

Video of the shooting spread on social media, but surveillance video is the reason police were able to identify the suspected shooter.

“We would not have been able to solve Kingston’s homicide, and countless other homicides had it not been for the Housing Authority’s investment in surveillance footage,” said Birmingham Police Officer Truman Fitzgerald.

Through the Real Time Crime Center, BPD is able to constantly monitor the cameras, but they are not just watching a handful of cameras.

“One of our properties has about seventy just in that one property. So across the 14 properties, we have about 400 cameras, license plate readers at every property, we have got upgraded lighting at every property. Lighting that allows us to see and those cameras to see what is happening at night just as they would during the day time,“ said Birmingham Housing Authority Director of Public Relations Meagan Holland.

Those upgrades came from a $6 million investment back in 2021, but the Housing Authority is also now limiting access in the Morrell Todd Homes community in Kingston in an effort to make the area safer.

“We cut down on those outside individuals who bring criminal activity on to our properties,” said Holland.

Officer Truman Fitzgerald stressed it was horrible that the video was somehow leaked to the public, but it shows the community just how dangerous some violent offenders can be.

Get news alerts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our email newsletter here.

Copyright 2023 WBRC. All rights reserved.