The suspect being pursued in the shooting of two on-duty firefighters at a station in Birmingham, Alabama, is believed to have had a personal conflict with one of the victims, a report says, citing police.
The gunman has not been publicly identified, but Birmingham Police Officer Truman Fitzgerald told The Associated Press that the two firefighters who were shot Wednesday morning in the city’s Norwood neighborhood, Jordan Melton and Jamal Jones, are expected to survive.
Detectives are still trying to determine the basis for the personal conflict, according to The Associated Press. They have not yet been able to talk to the firefighters but believe only one of them was targeted, the AP reported, citing Fitzgerald.
"I can say we believe it's a targeted attack," Fitzgerald also told Fox News Digital. "We are still trying to learn what exactly the person's motive was."
SHOOTING UNFOLDS AT BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA FIRE STATION
"It’s extremely unusual for someone to come target one of our fire stations and so we’re trying to see why would someone want to target one of these fire stations in Birmingham," Police Chief Scott Thurmond had told reporters on Wednesday.
"Our firefighters are there to protect and aid and rescue our citizens and to see them be critically injured is just very troubling, disheartening that that would happen in our community," he added.
Three people were inside the facility early Wednesday conducting routine checks of the fire engine and equipment when two males were struck, Thurmond said.
The Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service Department said on Facebook that it is "on the scene at Fire Station 9" and "We have 2 firefighters confirmed shot."
"They are in serious condition and have been transported," it added.
SUV REPORTED STOLEN IN ALABAMA WITH INFANT INSIDE MAY HAVE ROLLED INTO THICK BRUSH INSTEAD: REPORT
Fitzgerald told the AP that both firefighters remained in serious condition Thursday, and both underwent surgery.
The firefighters reportedly were shot in the chest and legs, and police have been looking for a suspect in a silver car, according to AL.com.
"Maybe there are some individuals that could have some information on this, so we would encourage them to call us and our homicide unit," Thurmond said. "We just need that information… please share it with us so we can hold these individuals responsible."
The police chief has called the incident a "targeted attack."
"We feel like it may be a targeted attack," he said. "We don’t know why it would be a targeted attack, but that’s one of the things we’re trying to determine at this point in time,"
Birmingham Fire Captain Orlando Reynolds told WBRC, "In my 25 years on the job, this is my worst day. This is awful."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
