A Birmingham home was shot into 17 times early on Wednesday morning in a drive-by shooting, killing a sleeping youngster who was one month away from turning 13 and was sharing a bed with two pals.
According to Sgt. Monica Law, the incident took place in the 500 Block of 16th Avenue N.W. at 1:51 a.m. on Wednesday.
According to Law, East Precinct officers were summoned to the location after receiving a report of a shooting. Officers were informed by family members that a girl had been shot while she was sleeping in bed when they arrived.
The infant was pronounced deceased at the site by firefighters. The youngster was identified as 12-year-old Audriana Pearson by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.
Three people of interest were detained by police this afternoon as they followed up on investigation leads and anonymous Crime Stoppers reports, according to Law.
“They were apprehended following a car chase. We think these folks have something to do with the murder,” Law added.
On January 17, the kid would have turned 13 years old, according to Mayor Randall Woodfin. According to the Jefferson County school system, she attended Erwin Middle School and was a seventh grader.
This is Heartbreaking. 12-year-old Audriana "Minnie" Pearson was shot & killed during a drive-by shooting while she was inside her home in Birmingham.https://t.co/RdRslqogxb
— Muriel Bailey (@MurielABC3340) December 21, 2022
“This kind of suffering shouldn’t be endured by anyone. Superintendent Dr. Walter Gonsoulin remarked, “We grieve alongside everyone who knew Audriana.
“To the person or people accountable: Your careless acts are unacceptable. You have denied one of our children the opportunity to mature,” Gonsoulin continued.
“Audriana was a young woman with a promising future. She was popular and enjoyed interacting with her friends and favorite teachers, according to Dr. Angela Bush, administrator of Erwin Middle School.
“Earlier today, I spoke with Audriana’s family to express our sympathies on behalf of the Erwin Middle School Community. We share their sorrow and are available to help. Additionally, I want to reassure our students, instructors, and staff that we will all work together to overcome this tragedy added Bush.
17 rounds, according to Woodfin, were fired into the house. He promised to use every tool at his disposal to help the police find everyone who was involved in her death.
Woodfin wrote on Facebook, “Her family is spending this season making preparations for their daughter.”
Audriana “Pearson was prepared to take advantage of her holiday break. However, her life was taken from her last night when she slept in her bed. She was a drive-by victim, another of our children taken from us due to the irresponsible and malicious actions of others, Woodfin tweeted.
The mayor continued, “It aches my heart because there is very little to celebrate in homes where laughing has been muffled by bullets. This morning, I chatted with Minnie’s mother. She only desired a pink iPad and AirPods for Christmas.
The family was not prepared to comment, according to a woman who answered the door this morning at the residence where Audriana was shot.
According to a police statement, “The inability to control one’s rage and conduct calm dispute management continues to plague our community.”
Families are left in pain, resentful, and suffering as a result of the actions of others, and we are sick of seeing our communities destroyed by senseless killing. Particularly when the victim is a youngster who ought to have had many more years to learn and develop, no family should have to deal with the murder of a loved one.
“Children deserve to spend the holiday season in safety at home with their families. They shouldn’t be shot to death while at home, where they should feel protected and secure.
While detectives will make every effort to collect information, our finest work is done when we collaborate to bring those who hurt our children to justice. Call the Birmingham Homicide Detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777 if you have any information.
This year, there have been 140 homicides in Birmingham. Ten of them have been found justified and aren’t considered criminal.
There have been 188 killings in Jefferson County overall, including 140 in Birmingham.
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