Crime
Innocent Bystander Killed in Crossfire During Shooting at Alabama Western Hills Mall
FAIRFIELD, AL – An innocent bystander was fatally shot after being caught in the crossfire of a shooting inside the food court at Western Hills Mall in Jefferson County.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Darin Marquese Hall, 32, of Birmingham.
The deadly gunfire erupted around 5 p.m. Sunday at the Fairfield shopping center, located on Aaron Aronov Drive.
This marks the third fatal shooting at Western Hills Mall since 2018.
Surveillance footage and witness accounts indicate that the altercation began between three individuals inside the food court, where approximately a dozen people were either seated at tables or in line ordering food.
According to the video, one man, with his hand tucked under his shirt, stood on one side of the food court, while the other two men were positioned on the opposite side. As one of the two men moved closer, the first pulled a firearm and opened fire.
The advancing man collapsed to the ground but managed to get back up and stumbled away, appearing to be injured. The third individual then returned fire before fleeing the scene.
As shots rang out, mall patrons scrambled for cover—customers at nearby tables ducked while some ran for safety, and a woman dropped to the floor.
Hall, who had been standing in line, was among those who tried to flee but was struck by gunfire.
A Fairfield firefighter, who happened to be at the food court, rushed to Hall’s aid, using a towel to apply pressure to his wound, as seen in a video that was later removed from social media.
Hall was transported to Princeton Baptist Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 5:33 p.m., according to Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates.
A 21-year-old man, believed to be one of the individuals involved in the altercation, was also wounded and taken to UAB Hospital. His condition has not been released.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation, and as of Monday, no arrests have been announced.
Sheriff Mark Pettway vowed to use all available resources to hold those responsible accountable.
“My main concern is keeping the citizens of Jefferson County safe,” Pettway stated. “As a result of this brazen act of violence, an innocent person has died.”
Fairfield Mayor Eddie Penny expressed his condolences to Hall’s family and urged the community to end the cycle of violence.
“We offer our prayers and condolences to the family of Mr. Hall and are praying for the injured person,” Penny said. “We encourage all to put the guns down and stop the killing in our neighborhoods.”
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office or Crime Stoppers.
MT. JULIET, Tenn. — Authorities have identified two victims killed during an active shooter incident at Cedar Creek Marina in Mt. Juliet late Friday night.
The suspect, identified as Gary Haley, a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history, is deceased following an officer-involved shooting, officials confirmed.
Mount Juliet Police officers were dispatched at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday to the Cedar Creek Marina, located in the 9000 block of Saundersville Road, after receiving reports of a man threatening another individual on the docks.
Due to the active shooter report, a shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area as a precaution.
Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound.
The victim was later identified as Robby Brogdon, who was transported to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Despite life-saving efforts, Brogdon later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators determined that the suspected shooter had retreated to a boat within the marina and had barricaded himself inside.
The standoff continued for several hours as officers secured the scene and attempted to resolve the situation safely.
At approximately 1:00 a.m. Saturday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reported that the suspect engaged responding officers and fired shots at them under circumstances that remain under investigation. Officers returned fire.
The suspect, Gary Haley, was later found deceased aboard the vessel.
During the course of the response, officers also discovered a second adult male victim, Nathan Jones, who had been shot by the suspect.
Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has assumed responsibility for the investigation, which includes a homicide, an attempted homicide, and an officer-involved shooting.
TBI agents are actively conducting interviews, collecting evidence, and working to establish a comprehensive timeline of events.
Upon completion of the investigation, findings will be submitted to 15th Judicial District Attorney General Jason Lawson for review.
Authorities stated that additional information will be released as it becomes available.