Birmingham, AL — Formal charges have been filed against Terrance Akeem Alexander, 37, of Pinson, in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred downtown Friday evening, resulting in the death of 31-year-old Taevon Jamir Arnold and injuries to a woman.
Alexander was swiftly apprehended by authorities less than 24 hours after the incident and was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 11:25 a.m. Monday. According to court records made public Tuesday night, he faces charges including murder for the killing of Arnold, first-degree assault, and two counts of discharging a firearm into a building or vehicle.
Despite the severity of the charges, Alexander posted bonds totaling $120,000 and was released from jail Tuesday morning.
Details of the Incident
The shooting occurred just before 6 p.m. on Friday and was captured on surveillance cameras near 14th Street North between First and Second Avenues. The video shows approximately eight men gathered on the sidewalk, engaging in what appeared to be an interaction. At one point, the suspect, Alexander, stepped into the middle of the street, after which gunfire erupted.
While Arnold was also seen brandishing a gun in the footage, it remains unclear whether he fired any shots before being struck. Police recovered at least 18 shell casings at the scene, marking a violent exchange of gunfire.
Both Arnold and the woman injured were transported to the hospital. Unfortunately, Arnold was pronounced dead at 11:13 p.m. that same evening.
Police Response and Investigation
North Precinct officers responded promptly to multiple calls of shots fired in and around First Avenue North and 14th Street at approximately 5:50 p.m. Upon arrival, they found the wounded victims near the Marathon gas station.
Preliminary investigations indicate that a confrontation occurred between Alexander and the two victims, escalating into gunfire. Officers confirmed there was no direct connection between the shooting and the nearby Church of the Reconciler, though the area has been the focus of increased police attention due to community complaints about criminal activity.
Officer Truman Fitzgerald noted, “Our command staff has been receiving numerous complaints regarding criminal and other problematic activity in the general area, and we’ve deployed numerous resources in an attempt to curtail this. This shooting was part of the ongoing issues we’ve been trying to address.”
Alexander was arrested by the Department’s Crime Reduction Team around 9 a.m. Saturday morning.
Criminal History of the Suspect
Records show Alexander has a prior criminal background, including a 2023 guilty plea to possession of a controlled substance—a charge reduced from trafficking morphine—resulting in a 60-month prison sentence, of which he served 18 months. He also pleaded guilty to a similar drug-related charge in 2016 and has previous arrests for burglary and robbery.
Community Assistance Requested
Authorities are urging anyone with additional information related to the shooting or Alexander’s activities to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling the Birmingham Police Department at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
This incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement in addressing violent crime and maintaining public safety in downtown Birmingham. The community and police alike hope that through continued vigilance and cooperation, incidents like this can be prevented in the future.
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