One brother is dead, and another in custody following a dispute Monday in Birmingham’s Norwood community.
Birmingham police Monday night identified the victim asDemarcus Moore. He was 37.
North Precinct officers were dispatched just before 5 p.m. to the 3400 block of 17th Avenue North on a trespassing call.
Once they arrived in the area, they found out it was much more.
Moore was unresponsive in the yard of a house. Officer Truman Fitzgerald said it was immediately apparent he had been shot.
Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced him dead on the scene.
Moore was found several houses away from the initial trespass call. Fitzgerald said the shots may have been fired where the victim was found.
“We believe there was a domestic disturbance at a residence between a brother and another brother,’’ Fitzgerald said. “Some sort of argument took place and a brother shot and killed his brother.’’
The shooter remained on the scene and was detained for questioning. He is being held in the Birmingham City Jail on a 48-hour hold while the probe continues.
Once the investigation is finished, the evidence will then be presented to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office to determine if criminal charges will be filed.
“From speaking to our patrol officers on the scene, they are familiar with the family, familiar with the victim,’’ Fitzgerald said. “It’s unknown what possibly could have led to this brother killing his own brother.”
“It’s just a horrible situation,’’ he said. “You just hate to see a family having to deal with a loved one killing another loved one.”
“It just goes to show you our officers never know what to expect when they show up to their calls,’’ Fitzgerald said.
Moore is Birmingham’s 51st homicide this year. Of those, five have been ruled justifiable and therefore aren’t deemed criminal.
In all of Jefferson County, there have been 74 homicides, including the 51 in Birmingham.
Anyone with additional information is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
