No ‘peaceful protests’ planned.
Via WBRC:
Birmingham police have arrested a suspect in the shooting that killed a 4-year-old boy in Ensley on Sunday.
Police said Joseph Lewis, 27, is in custody for the murder of Rodriquez Ferguson, the child who police say was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire.
Lewis, from Tarrant, is being held without bond in the Jefferson County Jail on a charge of murder.
The shooting took place in the 1600 block of 31st Street in Ensley. Police say the suspect was upset about an argument over a cellphone.
Investigators believe Rodriquez was caught in the crossfire when the suspect and another individual started exchanging shots.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office said Ferguson died at Children’s of Alabama.
In a news conference on Tuesday, Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper said this case was the department’s highest priority since it happened on Sunday, Sept. 25.
Roper said they obtained a warrant for Lewis on Monday and arrested him on Tuesday at 10:55 a.m. He said they had help from the family and community in identifying Lewis as the suspect and tracking him down.
“It doesn’t bring back this wonderful kid’s life, but from my meeting with the family, they wanted this man arrested and they wanted him arrested as quickly as possible,” Roper said in a news conference about the arrest on Tuesday afternoon.
Roper said they narrowed Lewis’ location down to two places, knocked on a door and were met by profanity on Tuesday morning. They knocked again, heard more profanity, and kicked down the door to take Lewis into custody.
Roper said the Birmingham Crime Reduction Team arrested Lewis, who didn’t resist. He was taken to the Birmingham Police Department’s headquarters, where he is being questioned.