Crime
Violent Start to 2025 in Jefferson County Leaves Four Men Dead
The killings occurred between New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in Birmingham, Graysville, and Bessemer, highlighting a troubling start to 2025 in the region.
Jefferson County, AL – The new year has begun with a wave of violence in Jefferson County, claiming the lives of four men in separate incidents, including the fatal shooting of a Domino’s delivery driver during an apparent robbery.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office has identified the victims as:
- Derek Marcus Burpo, 51, of Birmingham
- Elijah Mack Jr., 65, of Birmingham
- Jason Neal Duke, 40, of Graysville
- Ernest Paul Christion Jr., 68, of Birmingham
The killings occurred between New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in Birmingham, Graysville, and Bessemer, highlighting a troubling start to 2025 in the region.
Derek Burpo: Domino’s Delivery Driver Killed in Apparent Robbery
At approximately 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Birmingham police responded to reports of shots fired in the 400 block of Roebuck Drive on the city’s east side. Upon arrival, officers found Burpo unresponsive outside his car near a house on a private road. His vehicle contained pizzas he was in the process of delivering.
Burpo was pronounced dead on the scene by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service at 9:42 p.m.
“This is one of the most heartbreaking homicides we have witnessed,’’ said Officer Truman Fitzgerald. “A man out trying to make an honest living was killed so violently. They robbed a family of their loved one.”
Detectives are investigating whether the crime was premeditated or a crime of opportunity. Residents in the area reported hearing multiple gunshots, and police are actively seeking leads.
Jason Neal Duke: Domestic Dispute Turns Deadly
Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the 300 block of 1st Avenue SW in Graysville around 1:21 a.m. on Wednesday. They discovered Duke, 40, dead at the scene. Graysville Fire and Rescue pronounced him deceased at 1:51 a.m.
Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a domestic dispute. A 40-year-old male suspect was questioned and released pending a review by the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office to determine if charges will be filed.
Ernest Paul Christion Jr.: Stabbed in Ensley
Birmingham’s West Precinct Officers were dispatched to a house in the 2500 block of 15th Street Ensley just after 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Upon entering, they found 68-year-old Christion unresponsive.
He was transported by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service to UAB Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:50 p.m.
Police are interviewing witnesses to determine a motive, but no arrests have been made at this time.
Elijah Mack Jr.: Victim of Fatal Assault
Details surrounding Mack’s death have not yet been released. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of his killing.
A Troubling Trend of Violence
The tragic deaths of these four men come as Jefferson County grapples with a violent start to 2025. Birmingham ended 2024 with a record-breaking 151 homicides, the highest number since 1933.
Law enforcement is urging the community to come forward with any information that could help solve these cases. Tips can be submitted to Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
As the investigations continue, local officials and community leaders are calling for increased efforts to address the root causes of violence and prevent further loss of life.
Crime
ICE Tear Gas Canister Strikes Family Vehicle in Minneapolis, Six Children Hurt, Including Infant, Taken to Hospital
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Emergency responders and community members reported a distressing incident during ongoing federal immigration enforcement activity in south Minneapolis, involving the use of tear gas and other crowd-control tactics by federal agents and resulting in injuries to several civilians, including children.
According to local witnesses and media reports, after a federal law enforcement operation involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier in the week, tensions remained high in the surrounding neighborhood.
In one reported episode, residents attempting to leave an area where tear gas was being deployed sought to escape the effects of the chemical agents by entering a vehicle.
As tear gas canisters spread through nearby streets, a family with multiple children, including infants and young minors, was forced to shelter inside their car.
A tear gas canister reportedly landed under or near the vehicle, causing widespread irritation and breathing difficulties for those inside.
Emergency services were called, and some family members — including the children — were taken by ambulance for medical evaluation after experiencing breathing issues.
One infant was reported to have experienced breathing distress and received emergency medical attention.
Reports from bystanders indicated that parents administered first aid at the scene, including mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for a young child, before paramedics arrived.
Witness accounts describe the situation as chaotic but nonviolent on the part of the civilians, with several families attempting simply to leave the area as federal agents used tear gas and less-lethal munitions.
Those accounts state that no active threat to officers was present at the time the gas was deployed near the family vehicle.
Authorities have not yet released an official statement confirming the specific details of this encounter or whether federal agents intended to target the vehicle.
The Minneapolis Police Department and federal agencies involved in the operation have not publicly corroborated all aspects of the civil accounts, and the situation remains under review by local law enforcement.
Officials continue to investigate multiple related events unfolding in Minneapolis, including other recent uses of force by federal agents.
Local health officials and emergency responders are urging anyone affected by tear gas exposure to seek medical attention.
Community leaders have called for a thorough and transparent review of federal crowd-control tactics and their impact on bystanders, particularly children and other vulnerable individuals.