Police in Alabama shared that four people were left injured on Friday afternoon when a “shootout” occurred on a busy highway in the state.
The Birmingham Police Department shared that the shooting took place in the southbound lane of Interstate 59 at around 4:40 p.m. local time.
Police shared that a woman believed to be a person of interest in the shootout is in custody.
Birmingham Officer Truman Fitzgerald shared at a press conference that investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a confrontation over an alleged stolen vehicle.
“We believe that a group of individuals saw their stolen vehicle, or alleged stolen vehicle, and they began following that vehicle,” Fitzgerald told reporters. “This party sees their possible stolen vehicle, and they took it upon themselves to confront this group. A shootout ensued between both groups.”
Four men were identified as those injured in the shooting, and Fitzgerald shared that they were all involved in the incident. No bystanders were injured.
Two of the men shot were suspected to have life-threatening injuries, Fitzgerald shared. They were allegedly driving a stolen vehicle, which became disabled in the shooting.
They were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
The other two men had non-life-threatening injuries and drove themselves to the hospital, police shared.
An update on their conditions and their identity has not been provided. They are considered suspects in the investigation.
Police are still unaware of how many bullets were fired during the shootout, but Fitzgerald said that it was “large.”
The shooting is believed to have begun after the suspects allegedly traveled to Birmingham from a neighboring city in the allegedly stolen vehicle, police shared. Fitzgerald said that if the suspects had stolen the vehicle, the shooting was not an appropriate response.
“If this was the case that this party saw their possible stolen vehicle, all they had to do was call 911,” he said. “That’s why we put on that uniform and that bullet-proof vest, to be put in those situations. But here you have someone that possibly took it upon themselves to confront a group, and now here you have a shootout on the interstate at 4:40 p.m.”