BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBMA) — A coalition of community organizations and residents has sent an open letter to Mayor Randall Woodfin, Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett, Chief Carlton Peoples, and City Council members, calling for accountability and systemic reforms following recent officer-involved shootings in the city.
The letter cites the deaths of Jamal D’Angelo Williams, 26, and Vanessa Ragland, 36, both of whom were living with mental health challenges at the time of their deaths. Williams was shot by officers early on November 29 in the 800 block of 45th Street North after allegedly brandishing a firearm, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). Ragland was killed on October 29 on the 600 block of Brunson Avenue after an officer discharged their firearm during a confrontation inside her home. In both cases, no officers were injured, and investigations remain ongoing.
The letter highlights concerns over the recently passed “Back the Blue” Act (HB 202), which expands police immunity, and urges city leaders to address what organizers call a persistent culture of violence against Black residents, particularly those experiencing mental health or medical crises…