22-year-old Birmingham man charged with capital murder, assault in Galleria shootout
Authorities have arrested and charged a 22-year-old Birmingham man with capital murder and three counts of second-degree assault in connection with the shooting death of an 8-year-old boy and shooting injuries to three other people at the Riverchase Galleria Friday, Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis announced on Sunday.
Derzis said 22-year-old Montez Moses Miracle Coleman of Birmingham got into an argument with five other males on the first floor of the Galleria near the food court around 3:15 p.m. Friday.
Coleman armed himself with a 5.56-caliber pistol that was concealed in his backpack, Derzis said.
“He fired his weapon at the group of males, and several of them immediately returned fire,” the chief said. “We believe that no one involved in the initial argument was injured and all four of the victims in this case were innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire.”
Police said they aren’t sure what the argument was about yet, but they know that at least three guns were fired. They are not sure how many shots went off.
“Thank God more people weren’t hit. Those bullets were flying through that mall,” Derzis said. “It’s incredible that more weren’t hurt.”
Within minutes of the first call to the Hoover 911 center, officers received reports of a man running with a firearm through the parking deck of the Hyatt Regency Birmingham — The Wynfrey Hotel, Derzis said. “They located him and took him into custody without incident,” he said.
Coleman is now being held in the Jefferson County Jail without bond.
Police are asking the public for help in identifying the other five males involved in the incident and have released photos for the public to see.
Anyone who can help identify the people in the photos or who has additional information about them or the shootout is asked to call Hoover police Sgt. Matthew Savage at 205-739-6780. Anyone who wishes to remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward can call Crimestoppers of Metro Alabama at 205-254-7777.
Derzis had a word for the other five males involved in the incident: “If you see your photos, please call us because if you don’t call us, we’re coming to see you.”
Derzis said the family of 8-year-old Royta De’Marco Giles is devastated and asked the community to pray for his family and the other three shooting victims. All three of the others — an adult male and female and a juvenile girl — were released from the hospital Friday night, Derzis said.
“Our community is heartbroken,” Derzis said. “The officers on the scene will forever bear the image of an innocent child dying in their arms. A child died because people chose to settle a verbal argument by firing guns at each other in a crowded mall. Although we’ve made an arrest in this case, we’re not going to be satisfied until all those responsible for this tragedy are held accountable in a court of law.”
While Coleman was charged with capital murder and three counts of second-degree assault, authorities have not said whether any shots he fired were the ones that the struck the victims.
Alabama law allows a person to be charged with capital murder if, during the commission of a felony crime, someone is killed, whether that person directly caused the death or not.
Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato again today praised the work of the Hoover Police Department in the handling of this case.
On the scene of the shooting, “they moved in quickly without any regard for their life,” Brocato said. “They ran towards what they knew was imminent danger.”
Once two officers found the 8-year-old boy, “immediately they disregarded most everything around them and went to work on this young boy, doing everything that they could to save his life,” Brocato said.
The mayor said he is proud how police officers brought a chaotic scene under control and have worked hard to solve this crime.
“They took it personally,” he said. “They’ve worked nonstop to bring justice for this little boy and the others that were injured there.”