Crime
Teen Charged with Capital Murder in Fatal Shooting of Birmingham Engineering Student
Authorities have charged an 18-year-old Birmingham man in connection with the weekend shooting death of 22-year-old Xavier “Zay” Colvert, a mechanical engineering student.
Jeremy Dewayne Thomas has been formally charged with capital murder following an investigation that suggests Colvert was set up for a robbery.
Thomas was taken into custody on Thursday and booked into the Jefferson County Jail just before 5 p.m. He is being held without bond.
Birmingham police have not yet disclosed what specific evidence led them to identify Thomas as a suspect.
However, officers with the department’s Crime Reduction Team located him at a residence in west Birmingham.
Following a brief foot pursuit, they were able to apprehend him without further incident.
The fatal shooting occurred late Friday night in the 1400 block of 57th Street in Ensley.
Birmingham police responded to a report of gunfire at approximately 11:45 p.m.
Upon arrival, they found Colvert unresponsive inside his white pickup truck. At least six shell casings were discovered near the truck’s passenger door, indicating multiple shots were fired.
Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service arrived at the scene and pronounced Colvert dead at 12:38 a.m. Saturday.
Colvert was the son of former Jefferson County Constable Robert Colvert III, who was himself a victim of gun violence during a 2018 shootout at his body shop in Woodlawn.
The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing as authorities work to determine further details surrounding the incident.
Ferndale, Mich. – The Ferndale Police Department is actively investigating a fatal shooting that occurred during the early morning hours of March 9, 2025.
At approximately 1:45 a.m., Ferndale Police dispatch received a report of gunfire near the intersection of 8 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue.
Just three minutes later, at 1:48 a.m., a second caller reported seeing an individual lying outside a Ford Escape in the roadway on the southbound Woodward Avenue bridge over 8 Mile.
Upon arrival, officers discovered a 27-year-old male victim from Detroit who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel transported the victim to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the victim was driving southbound on Woodward Avenue when an unidentified suspect fired multiple shots into his vehicle, striking him.
The victim’s vehicle was found stopped on the roadway, with the victim lying outside upon officers’ arrival.
“This is a tragic and senseless act of violence, and our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones during this difficult time,” said Ferndale Police Chief Dennis Emmi. “Our department is fully committed to identifying and apprehending those responsible. We urge anyone with information to come forward to assist in bringing justice to the victim and his family.”
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details will be released as they become available.
Anyone with information related to this incident is urged to contact the Ferndale Police Department’s Detective Bureau at 248-541-3650, extension 5.