The Birmingham Police Department reports that detectives have arrested and charged several suspects in connection with a home invasion investigation. The incident occurred Sunday, February 1, 2015 in the 3200 Block of Steiner Avenue.
The suspects have been identified as:
Jonathan Davis, B/M, 19, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Charges: Robbery 1st (2 counts), Burglary 1st, Kidnapping – Bond (TBD)
Cassius Lanier, B/M, 18, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Charges: Rape 1st, Robbery 1st (2 counts), Attempted Murder, Kidnapping – Bond (TBD)
Gregory Stewart, B/M, 19, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Charges: Rape 1st, Robbery 1st (2 counts), Attempted Murder, Kidnapping – Bond (TBD)
Khali Jones, B/M, 19, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Charges: Hindering Prosecution – Bond (TBD)
All suspects are in the custody of the Jefferson County Jail.
The investigation revealed that one of the victims was sexually assaulted. Investigators are looking for another suspect they believe was involved in this crime. This is an ongoing investigation. If there is anyone who has additional information pertaining to this case, they are encouraged to contact the B.P.D. Robbery Unit at 254-1753 or Crime Stoppers at 254-7777.
Bond amounts have been set for Gregory Stewart – $2,350,000 (two million three hundred fifty thousand), Khali Jones – $100,000 (one hundred thousand), Cassius Lanier – $2,350,000 (two million three hundred fifty thousand) and Johnathan Davis – $500,000 (five hundred thousand).
Birmingham Lieutenant Sean Edwards states when it comes to safety, “Citizens should always be aware of their surroundings when outside their homes, never open doors to strangers, and immediately notify police when a suspicious person or vehicle is either on their property or in front of their property. If you see something, say something. Never hesitate to call police.”
So what should a person do if they are invaded? Here are tips taken from Military. com that should be useful:
Five Home Defense Tactics That Will Help You Survive A Violent Home Invasion
1. You need to develop a code word that will tell your entire family that it’s time to spring into action. You don’t need to make up some kind of secret code. The word “ESCAPE” works very well and is simple and straight to the point. Forget about “Red Wolf” and use something simple.
2. Designate a “safe room” in your home where everyone can go to at the same time. This room should be stocked with several specific items that will help you survive the upcoming fight. The list of items isn’t that long, but the list is outside the scope of this article. The one thing that you must have in this room is a phone that can be used to call the police.
3. Do not, under any circumstances, leave the safe room. If you have your family in the room with you, resist the urge to put on your cape and fight the invaders single handedly.
4. Develop a “fatal funnel”. If you are using a gun for home defense, position yourself in a corner of the safe room that is on the opposite side of the door. This will give you the maximum amount of time to decide if you’re going to shoot because you’ll be the last thing the intruders see when they burst through the door. In this instance, you have the advantage because they will have to make an assessment of the room before they make a move. You only have to decide if you’re going to shoot or not. You will know that it;s either the police coming to your rescue or the bad guys coming to harm you. Just make sure you don’t shoot the police.
5. Stay in the safe room until the police arrive, no matter how long it takes. Even if you are pretty sure the home invasion is finished and the intruders have left, do not leave the safe room. You can’t be sure that the attackers aren’t lying in wait to take your family by force to hold as hostages or cause harm. Stay in the room until the police have cleared the house and tell you to come out before you decide the home invasion is over.
Homicide Investigation
The Birmingham Police Department reports that detectives are conducting a homicide investigation. The incident occurred Friday, January 30, 2015 in the 800 block of 3rd Avenue West (Shell Gas Station parking lot).
The identity of the victim will be released upon notification of immediate family.
On Friday, January 30, 2015 around 10:30 p.m. West Precinct officers were dispatched to the listed location on a person shot. Upon arrival, officers found the victim sitting in his black Mercury SUV suffering from a gunshot wound to the head area. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene by Birmingham Fire and Rescue.
Our investigation revealed that due to the multiple shell castings found at the scene, it is believed that a shootout involving the victim took place at the location. Additional information will be released as it becomes available. Detectives are investigating the death as a homicide.
If there is anyone who has information pertaining to the case, they are encouraged to contact the B.P.D. Homicide Unit @ 254-1764 or Crime Stoppers @ 254-7777.
