A suspect is in custody after police say he shot two men in separate incidents Saturday afternoon, including an elderly man who was driving on busy Parkway East.
The ordeal began just after 1:30 p.m. Saturday when Birmingham 911 sent out a lookout bulletin that an SUV was shooting at a sedan at Edwards Lake Road and Gadsden Highway.
A short time later, more calls came in updating the location of the two vehicles, to include the shooter, said Sgt. LaQuitta Wade.
A Birmingham sergeant in the area then heard shooting. Those vehicles were in the 9300 block of Parkway East.
A crash then happened in that location, which is front of Arby’s. When first responders arrived on the scene of the wreck, they found an elderly man in a small car had crashed into a large pickup truck and was injured.
He was rushed to UAB Hospital where doctors determined the man had been shot. He is in critical condition.
The driver of the truck was also hospitalized in serious condition. That man was reportedly on his way home from work when the crash happened.
Those close to him say he sustained a broken back.
Police initially said the shooting victim was caught in crossfire, but later said it appeared he was targeted.
As police were investigating that incident, they were notified of another person shot. That call came in at 3:26 p.m. in the 1300 block of High Point Terrace.
He was taken to the hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
Shortly after 5 p.m., investigators located the shooting suspect in Tom Bradford Park, also on the city’s east side.
Officers descended on the park where the suspect was taken into custody before 6:30 p.m.
Wade said investigators believe the suspect targeted both shooting victims. A motive has not yet been disclosed.
Anyone with additional information is asked to call Birmingham police at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.