‘Vibrant’ firefighter dies after shooting inside station, Alabama officials say
One of two firefighters shot at a fire station has died of his injuries, according to Alabama officials.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin announced the death of Jordan Melton on July 17.
“Jordan was a vibrant young brother who was full of life,” Woodfin wrote in a Facebook post. “He loved to talk sports as much as he loved good barbecue.”
Melton and another firefighter were shot while on duty inside a fire station around 8:30 a.m. on July 12, according to a news release from the Birmingham Police Department.
Both men were taken to a hospital with serious injuries, police said.
“Every day we show up to answer the call,” the Birmingham Fire & Rescue Service said in a GoFundMe created to raise money for the firefighters’ families. “Instantly, in a stroke of violence, it’s now the firefighter that needs you.”
Police have not identified any suspects, a spokesperson told McClatchy News.
Anyone with information was asked to call detectives at 205-254-1764 or CrimeStoppers at 205-254-777, the release says. A $15,000 reward was available through CrimeStoppers, the spokesperson said.
Melton, who had served with the Birmingham Fire & Rescue Service for more than a year, graduated from the firefighter academy in June, Woodfin wrote.
Woodfin shared a photo of Melton beaming as he holds his graduation certificate.
“When I look at his photo, you can see the potential and pride in his eyes,” Woodfin wrote. “So much of that potential will now go unrealized.”
The Birmingham City Council called Melton “one of our local heroes.”
“We stand behind all the dedicated servants of the Birmingham Fire Department during this extremely challenging time,” the council said in a statement on Facebook. “This exemplifies, even more, the dangers that they face every single day serving the citizens of Birmingham.”
This story was originally published July 18, 2023 at 11:17 AM with the headline "‘Vibrant’ firefighter dies after shooting inside station, Alabama officials say."