Wednesday night's crime tape and flashing police lights mark Birmingham's 149th homicide of the year.The tragic tally rivals the city's deadliest years of the 1930s.Retired Chief Deputy Coroner Jay Glass has written a book about killings during those days.鈥淭here were there was at least two saloons on every street, every block in downtown Birmingham during the early 1900s,鈥� Glass said.Glass even believes the Wild West of the South comparisons were too understated over the years.鈥淎ctually, look at the numbers. Birmingham was much worse than some of the Dodge City or, or Tucson or something,鈥� Glass said.However, Reginald Crenshaw's death on Wednesday could make 2024 Birmingham's most deadly on record.Thursday, we spent more than an hour studying State Department of Public Health Summary of Vital Statistics books at the Birmingham Public Library.The highest homicide number we could find was 147 in 1934.That's two shy of this year's 149 killings.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The Associated Press has previously reported Birmingham鈥檚 all-time record was 148 in 1933, but records we found for that year limit the number at 140 killings.Considering the life-saving medicine of today and sixty thousand fewer residents than ninety years ago, we asked Glass if Birmingham was more dangerous now than in the 1930s.鈥淚 would answer yes to that because especially when we're seeing indiscriminate shooting into houses and and children shot,鈥� Glass said.He has hope, though.He watched the high homicide rates of the early 1990s drop off when he was Jefferson County鈥檚 Chief Deputy Coroner and believes history will repeat itself.鈥淲e have this high rate now, but I鈥檓 willing to bet that within the next couple, three years, you'll see a drop off again,鈥� Glass said.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Wednesday night's crime tape and flashing police lights mark Birmingham's 149th homicide of the year.
The tragic tally rivals the city's deadliest years of the 1930s.
Retired Chief Deputy Coroner Jay Glass has written a book about killings during those days.
鈥淭here were there was at least two saloons on every street, every block in downtown Birmingham during the early 1900s,鈥� Glass said.
Glass even believes the Wild West of the South comparisons were too understated over the years.
鈥淎ctually, look at the numbers. Birmingham was much worse than some of the Dodge City or, or Tucson or something,鈥� Glass said.
However, Reginald Crenshaw's death on Wednesday could make 2024 Birmingham's most deadly on record.
Thursday, we spent more than an hour studying State Department of Public Health Summary of Vital Statistics books at the Birmingham Public Library.
The highest homicide number we could find was 147 in 1934.
That's two shy of this year's 149 killings.
The Associated Press has previously reported Birmingham鈥檚 all-time record was 148 in 1933, but records we found for that year limit the number at 140 killings.
Considering the life-saving medicine of today and sixty thousand fewer residents than ninety years ago, we asked Glass if Birmingham was more dangerous now than in the 1930s.
鈥淚 would answer yes to that because especially when we're seeing indiscriminate shooting into houses and and children shot,鈥� Glass said.
He has hope, though.
He watched the high homicide rates of the early 1990s drop off when he was Jefferson County鈥檚 Chief Deputy Coroner and believes history will repeat itself.
鈥淲e have this high rate now, but I鈥檓 willing to bet that within the next couple, three years, you'll see a drop off again,鈥� Glass said.
