The individuals responsible for shooting and killing two people and injuring 14 others remain at large, Montgomery officials said at a press conference Tuesday.
Montgomery Police Chief Jim Graboys said they are looking for multiple shooters, although he did not identify any suspects or clarify exactly how many shooters police believe there may have been.
“We had so many people out there, and we were literally tracking down every individual … just to question them,” Graboys said. “That takes time, and everything has to be pieced together.”
Graboys is looking to talk to anyone and everyone in the area at the time of the shooting as police work to piece together exactly what happened.
Ina addition to the two people killed—17-year-old Jeremiah Morris and 43-year-old Shalanda Williams—Graboys said five victims remain in critical condition.
Montgomery City Council President C.C. Calhoun said the council may consider expanding an existing curfew for minors 17 and under citywide, as half of the victims were under the age of 20.
The city council also voted Tuesday night to suspend the downtown entertainment district in response shooting; the entertainment district allows individuals to purchase alcohol and drink it publicly within the district boundaries.
“If we would have done this prior to, we may have prevented what happened over the weekend,” said councilwoman Marche Johnson. “Looking at footage and cameras over the weekend, there was a large crowd in that corner of Commerce and Bibb.”
Business owners say this has led to loitering and the potential for violence.
“Sunday I was cleaning blood off the sidewalks in front of Ravello because of an event Sunday afternoon and the loitering and the entertainment district, they’re not working,” said Judge Blount, owner of Ravello. “I hope y’all will consider getting rid of the entertainment district, people need to keep walking, they don’t need to be loitering.”
Mayor Steven reed emphasized during the press conference the city’s emphasis on public safety, noting increased funding to the police department. He also targeted the law allowing permitless carry as a gun control tool that has been taken away from local police forces.
Proponents of pistol permits believe that by requiring a permit for concealed carry of a pistol allows law enforcement to get guns off the street when stopping individuals who are concealing a pistol without a permit.
