Victim In Critical Condition After Shooting At Bessemer Cemetery

JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL — A confrontation escalated into gunfire Monday near the entrance of a Bessemer cemetery, leaving a victim hospitalized. Then incident occurred near the entrance to Highland Memorial Gardens just after 6 p.m.

According to reports, a witness and the victim were traveling from out of town to visit friends and family in the McCalla area. They stopped to pick up a friend of the victim’s, and during the drive, the victim and his friend began to argue, according to Sgt. Joni Money of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

The vehicle was stopped at the cemetery and the two exited the vehicle and continued to argue. The suspect then shot the victim multiple times and fled the scene, Money said. The witness then drove the victim to UAB Hospital and contacted law enforcement.

The victim remains in the hospital in critical condition.