Alabama police search for suspects after 16-year-old shot dead in a drive-by

Police are searching for the killer of a 16-year-old Alabama girl who was gunned down in a drive-by shooting reports AL.com.

The victim Arrielle Lashawn Parker-Jefferies was a rising senior at Wenonah High and a member of the school’s dance team.

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“She was very smart, stayed out of trouble and just liked to have fun and enjoy life,”’ said one of her longtime friends, Chaseity William.

“She was very active and always had a smile on her face. She had big dreams in life. She was going to be successful.”

Police Sgt. Johnny Williams said they received a call about shots fired in the 200 block of Westwood Drive but officers found no sign of a shooting.

It wasn’t until they were notified that a teen girl who was transported to Children’s Hospital of Alabama that they realized a shooting took place. Parker-Jefferies died of a gunshot wound 30 minutes after arriving, according to reports.

Police are working diligently to gather more details.

“There are very few details on this investigation at this time,” Williams said.

“Investigators are attempting to locate witnesses and obtain additional insight to the details of the shooting.”

School Response

Birmingham City Schools officials on Sunday released a statement about the loss of their student:

“Members of the Birmingham Board of Education, district leadership, and Wenonah school administration offer their deepest sympathy to the family of Arrielle Lashawn Parker-Jefferies, a rising senior scholar at Wenonah High School. As a community, we must continue to come together to address violence against our youth. We must also remain steadfast and committed to finding positive solutions to address and end gun violence.”

This is a rough year for Parker-Jefferies family. Her uncle, DeNorris Barnes, was shot and killed last month while changing a tire at a Birmingham gas station.

Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham police homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.

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