Five people remain in critical condition after a weekend mass shooting in downtown Montgomery that injured a total of 12 people and killed two others, including a high school student being remembered as one of the “brightest lights” at Rise Academy.
Killed were Jeremiah Rise, 17, and 43-year-old Shalanda Williams.
Montgomery Police Chief Jim Graboys on Tuesday said in addition to the five victims who suffered life-threatening wounds, the status of the other seven victims remains non-life-threatening.
No arrests have been made, but city leaders said they are “200 percent” committed to ending the probe – described as large and complex – with multiple arrests and successful prosecutions anticipated.
Here is full coverage of the shooting
“We have strong leads, we have developed persons of interests,” Graboys said. “I have no doubt we will bring the perpetrators to justice.”
“It’s a methodical process,” the chief said. “We have to be careful, and we have to be right.”
“Every hour we are one hour closer to holding the perpetrators accountable,” he said,
Mayor Steven Reed joined Graboys at the press conference.
Gov. Kay Ivey said Monday morning that she has asked the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to expand the patrol area for state troopers assigned to the capitol complex to include other parts of downtown Montgomery.
“Let me be clear: All available state assets are being discussed, and ALL options remain on the table,” Ivey said.
The mayor said Tuesday his staff has been in touch with the governor’s office.
“We reached out today through some of our staff members,” Reed said. “I think we’ll have a call in the next 24 to 48 hours.”
Reed was also asked about the call for President Trump to send the National Guard to Montgomery, as he has authorized in other U.S. cities.
“I don’t think that the majority of the community,” Reed said. “I know there are some loud voices that share that opinion, but I think there are many others who do not.”
“What we have been doing working with local, state and federal partners has helped drive down our crime by 23 percent year over year,” Reed said.
“Men and women from the National Guard is not necessary in Montgomery,” the mayor said. “I don’t think it’s necessary in any American city.”
‘A very chaotic scene’
The gunfire erupted shortly after 11:30 p.m. Saturday near Bibb Street and Commerce Street.
Two juveniles are among those wounded. One has life-threatening injuries, police said, and the other suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Seven of the victims are under the age of 20 and the youngest victim is 16, said Montgomery Police Chief Jim Graboys in a Sunday press conference.
Graboys said police were called around 11:30 p.m. The officers, he said, could hear the shooting.
“This started as the result of an individual, one of these 14 (injured or killed), who we believe was targeted, in which basically an exchange of gunfire erupted,” he said.
“When that exchange erupted, multiple people in the crowd pulled their own weapons and started discharging,” Graboys said.
“Now, as you can imagine, that can be a very chaotic situation, and every weapon has to be accounted for and every piece of evidence has to be processed.”
The shooters, he said, “did not care about the people around them when they did it.”
The chief said automatic gunfire was used. Police recovered multiple shell casings and weapons from the scene.
“The weapons all had magazine capacities,” he said. “Some had very high capacities.”
At least two of the victims were among those armed, he said, but could not yet say how many of the wounded were innocent bystanders.
Teen known for ‘kindness, laughter, and joy’
Little information has been released about Williams, but Morris’ school made a heartfelt post about him on Facebook.
“Jeremiah was not only a remarkable student but also a remarkable young man whose kindness, laughter, and joy touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,” according to a Facebook post by McIntyre Comprehensive Academy.
Morris served as Mr. Star Academy 2024–2025, was a two-time Student of the Month recipient, and a Student of the Year nominee—accomplishments that reflect his hard work, leadership, and love for his school community, school officials said. he post said.
His sister served as Miss McIntyre Comprehensive Academy 2023-2024.
“But beyond the awards, Jeremiah will always be remembered for his warm smile, his gentle spirit, and the way he could light up any room just by being in it,” according to the post.
“May we find comfort in the love Jeremiah shared, the laughter he gave us, and the memories that will forever keep his light shining within Rise Academy.”
‘Every victim deserves justice’
The Montgomery Police Department has joined forces with multiple police agencies in the ongoing investigation, including the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshal’s Service, ALEA and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office among other.
Graboys said detectives have been working “ceaselessly.”
“It’s methodical process. We have to be careful, and we have to be right,” the chief said. “Every hour we are one hour closer to holding the perpetrators accountable.”
Graboys said he would not be releasing any specifics about the investigation or potential suspects until the probe is complete.
“I do anticipate multiple persons of interest and who more than likely will be facing charges,” he said. “Every victim deserves justice. Every family affected deserves answers.”
The chief said multiple leads have come in.
“The information coming in as frequent as it is, it’s like a firehose worth of information,” he said. “All of that information has to be independently processed and basically fit into a very large puzzle.”
“It’s a large and complex investigation because of the number of people involved,” Graboys said. “We are steadily and methodically putting everything together that will allow us to have a prosecution of the individuals that we are going to arrest.”
He also had a message for the shooters: “All of us are coming for you. We will not rest. We will not relent until we get you. We are coming. “
“We will push for maximum accountability,” he said, “no longer how long this takes.”
‘Gangs are a problem’
Following the weekend mass shooting, the Alabama Sheriff’s Association said Montgomery has a criminal gang problem.
“Gangs often gather in small groups and venture out looking for confrontation with rival gangs,” the association posted in a lengthy Facebook statement.
“There exists a culture that emphasizes only addressing serious crimes, rather than enforcing the law comprehensively.”
“The time has come to address this pestilence head-on,” the statement read.
“I greatly appreciate the comments made by Governor Ivey and Attorney General Marshall. It’s time to make Montgomery safe and turn the Capital City into one all Alabamians can be proud of. It is time for action, not denial.
Reed and Graboys addressed gangs in Montgomery, though the police chief would not say whether the mass shooting involved gang activity.
“I’ve been working in Montgomery since 1991. In the 90s every cop in the city knew there were gangs in Montgomery,” Graboys said. “Though at the time, people would not want to talk about.”
“Yes, there are gangs,” he said. “Nobody’s denying it. And yes, they’re a problem.”
“Gangs are a problem period,” the chief said. “One of the things we’re getting out of this investigation is actually emerging tactics and strategies going forward to strike at those gangs.”
“But the gang problems, unfortunately, have been a national problem,” he said, “but what we’re learning over the last two days and what we’re going are going to have a very big impact,”