Birmingham murders dropped to 135 in 2023 marking a 6.25% decrease

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Birmingham’s homicide tally in 2023 dropped for the first time in five years after years of steady increases brought the deadly toll to a historic high.

The city ended 2023 with 135 homicides, a 6.25% decrease from 2022 when the city had 144 homicides, marking the deadliest year in recent Birmingham history.

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“We increased every year over the past four years up through last year so to finally be showing a decrease is a good thing,” said Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond.

Birmingham ended 2021 with 132 homicides; 2020 with 122 homicides; 2019 with 106 homicides; and 2018 with 107 homicides.

“It’s not the decrease I would want, but it’s a move in the right direction,” Thurmond said of 2023's homicide total.

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Thurmond, in part, attributes the Birmingham decrease to increased efforts by local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to work together.

“We’re combining all of our resources and looking at the people who are causing the problems and trying to go after those people – our trigger pullers,” he said.

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Thurmond said another challenge has been the permitless carry law.

In 2023, Alabama became the latest state to allow people to carry a concealed handgun without a state permit requiring a background check.

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“They’re carrying one because they know everyone else is carrying one and they feel like they have to carry one to protect themselves,” the chief added.

“It’s just gotten out of hand. People don’t stop and think before they pull that gun out and pull the trigger,” Thurmond said.

“It’s causing these great number of homicides in Birmingham year after year because people don’t know how to deal with issues any other way other than to pull out a gun and start shooting.”

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