Gulf Shores shooting: Fight within a group led to 1 teen wounded; victim back at home, police say

Debbie Williams
·4 min read
5

UPDATE (5:10 p.m.): A teenager is out of the hospital and back home with his parents after being shot last night during an argument in Gulf Shores that sent hundreds scrambling for cover and police looking for a shooter.

Police say a large group from north Baldwin County had gathered in a parking lot near Surf Style. They began arguing and then fighting, eventually spilling into the street when someone pulled a gun and started firing.

A viewer video shared with WKRG News shows the chaos at the beachfront as shots rang out and people rushed to find cover and safety.

One teenager, who was hit in the leg and hospitalized, has since been released.  Another teenager was taken to jail but has not been charged with a crime yet.

“This was a group of individuals that knew each other, a fight ensued and unfortunately the way one of these kids decided to stop this fight was to pull out a weapon,” says City Spokesman Grant Brown.

Police believe only one gun was used.  They have recovered three shell casings but don’t have the gun.

They are now poring over footage from cell phones and security cameras, trying to put the pieces together, according to Brown.

“There are a number of suspects that were involved in this altercation so we are trying to determine what actually happened.”

The suspect in custody was captured more than a mile away after running through the local Walmart.

Police say the 18-year-old was trying to get out of the area by commandeering motorists. He was eventually arrested near McDonalds.

Police are asking any motorist who may have come in contact with him to give them a call.

What happened at the beachfront in Gulf Shores is not what the city is known for or used to, and city leaders want it to stay that way.

“Leave that in your town,” said Brown. “Don’t bring that to Gulf Shores.”

UPDATE (4:02 p.m., March 28):

GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) — The name of the alleged victim in the shooting will be withheld due to his juvenile status, according to the Gulf Shores Police Department.

Police said the suspect in custody in connection to the shooting is an 18-year-old man. His name and other suspects’ names are being withheld pending further investigation and formal charges.

The 18-year-old in custody allegedly attempted to get away from police “by gaining entry into more than one passerby’s vehicles in the 1900 block of Gulf Shores Parkway,” police said in a Facebook post. He was then detained and taken into custody.

Detectives asked victims of those alleged car break-ins to contact the police department.

Anyone with information on this shooting can contact GSPD at 251-968-2431.

UPDATE (12:39 p.m., March 28):

GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) — News 5 has learned more about Wednesday night’s shooting in Gulf Shores.

Here’s a breakdown of the night’s events, according to the Gulf Shores Police Department and News 5 sources:

  • Around 8:40 p.m., police received a report of shots fired at the 100 block of Gulf Shores Parkway; the location is near the intersection of Highway 59 and East Beach Boulevard.

  • Officers arrived at the scene and found a juvenile victim “who was shot in the leg during an altercation with subjects known to him,” a GSPD news release said.

  • The victim was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital and has since been released.

  • One person is in custody, “and several suspects were developed for the shooter,” a GSPD news release said.

  • The Gulf Shores Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division collected evidence and spoke to witnesses into the early morning hours.

  • “The investigation remains open and active as investigators continue speaking to witnesses and reviewing available surveillance cameras and cell phone video footage,” a GSPD news release said.

  • “The names of the victim and suspects involved are being withheld due to their juvenile status,” the release said.

UPDATE (11:41 p.m.): Gulf Shores officials said the shooting was a result of a fight, and someone involved in the fight pulled out a gun.

UPDATE (10:44 p.m.): Officials said the person taken into custody on Wednesday night was apprehended at the Walmart Supercenter, which is about 1.3 miles away from where the shooting occurred.

LOCATION:

UPDATE (10:17 p.m.): News 5 has learned one person is in custody in connection to the shooting, but there are others still at large.

It’s also been confirmed the victim is a young man.

Police are asking residents to avoid the area.

UPDATE (10:08 p.m.): Gulf Shores officials said the person was shot in the leg and is heading to the hospital now.

The shooter is still at large, officials said.

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GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) — One person was shot Wednesday night at Gulf Place just outside of The Hangout, News 5 has learned. Multiple law enforcement agencies are on the scene.

SHOOTING LOCATION:

At this time, there is no information about a shooter or the victim.

News 5 is on the scene. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.

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