A city proud of its role in facing down hatred confronts a new wave of violence

Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — There was a time when the city of Birmingham, Alabama, earned the nickname “Bombingham,” renowned for senseless violence and its strength in confronting the racial hatred that fueled it. But days after Birmingham endured its third mass shooting of 2024, officials and residents are voicing a new strain of frustration and despair. Four people were killed and 17 were injured in the weekend shooting. With more than 120 homicides so far this year, most of them carried out with guns, Birmingham could well break its decades-old record for killings. In a city that takes great pride in its history of facing down demons, it is increasingly hard for many to see a way out.