Alabama mass shooting victims may have been targeted in murder-for-hire plot, police say

Some of the four people killed in a deadly Alabama shooting had “extensive criminal” histories and might have been killed in a “cowardly” murder-for-hire hit, authorities said Monday.

Gunfire erupted Saturday night as a “large group of people” were gathered outside the Hush Lounge in Birmingham, Alabama’s second largest city, officials there said.

Multiple shooters pulled up in a vehicle, got out and opened fire before they got back inside the vehicle and fled, authorities said.

There’s an early theory of the case that these shooters might have been paid to kill certain individuals.

“Some of the individuals that were killed have extensive criminal histories,” Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond told reporters. “And because of that, there’s often times motivation from others and there’s people who are willing to pay to have them killed. And so that’s that’s part of it.”

The four killed were among 21 shot.

By Monday morning, 12 of the 17 injured had been released from the hospital, officials said.

Authorities are offering $100,000 in reward money, $50,000 from the FBI and $50,000 from Crime Stoppers, for any information that could break the case.

Many of those shot were “collateral damage” in the attack on specific targets, Thurmond added.

“You see, it’s easy to see people in a line who most likely are unarmed, because to enter a club, you can’t have a weapon on you,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said. “As heinous as this was, it was also one of the most cowardly things we’ve also seen. They’re cowards.”

Three of the four fatalities are Alabama residents and identified as Anitra Holloman, 21, of Bessemer; Tahj Booker, 27, of Birmingham; and Carlos McCain, 27, also of Birmingham. The fourth man killed was not immediately identified.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.