In the early 1930’s, Birmingham was a growing city with a population of about 260,000 people, giving the city a murder rate of about 5.7 homicides for every 10,000 people. Today, the city is shrinking, with a little under 197,000 people, giving the city a murder rate of 7.5 homicides per 10,000 people.

A shooting at Birmingham’s West End Walking Trail on Saturday marks the 148th homicide in the city this year, tying 2024 with 1933, for the most homicide deaths in Birmingham in a single year.

Shortly before 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, 48-year-old Randolph Taylor Jr. was shot and killed at the West End Walking Trail on Cotton Avenue following a fight with an unidentified man

The Birmingham Police Department is investigating a homicide they say happened Wednesday evening, Dec. 18. Police were called to the 200 block of 3rd Avenue South. No other details are available, but we’ll update this story when we know more information.