Group linked to 10 shootings, $1 million in fraud, Tuscaloosa police say

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Tuscaloosa law enforcement officials say they've linked a group of suspects to at least 10 shootings, including one homicide, and more than $1 million in financial fraud.
During a June 6 news conference, Capt. Jack Kennedy of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit detailed the group's alleged crimes and the cooperation among law enforcement agencies that led to arrests in the more than yearlong investigation.
The group of at least 10 people was funded through credit and bank fraud in an extensive scheme that involved several bank tellers, according to Kennedy. Some of the suspects who were arrested are older than 16, but under the age of 18.
A grand jury has issued 75 indictments in connection with the group's alleged activities.
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Law enforcement executed more than 60 subpoenas and search warrants as investigators worked to obtain evidence, Kennedy said, in a probe that began in January 2024.
The Violent Crimes Unit, a multi-agency task force that investigates violent crimes in Tuscaloosa County, worked closely with several state and local agencies in investigating what they called the 'criminal enterprise.'
Among those agencies were the Tuscaloosa Police Department, the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office, the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney's Office and the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.
The crime scene units and the crime labs at TPD and TCSO collaborated during the probe. The cyber intelligence units at TPD and TCSO provided resources, such as video surveillance, cellphone and social media data extractions, financial links and detailed criminal histories.
The Violent Crimes Unit itself consists of investigators from the TCSO, TPD, the Northport Police Department and the UAPD.
Multiple federal law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms as well as the Postal Inspectors Service, also played roles in the investigation.
The June 6 news conference was attended by Tuscaloosa County Sheriff Ron Abernathy, Tuscaloosa Police Department Chief Brent Blankley, Northport Police Department Chief Gerald Burton, UAP Department Chief John Hooks and Tuscaloosa County District Attorney Hays Webb.
Representatives of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office were also in attendance.
Here's a breakdown of the 10 shootings linked to the group, provided by the Violent Crimes Unit:
July 8, 2023: A man was shot in the face in broad daylight while he sat inside a vehicle at a gas station on Tuscaloosa's west side. Investigation found that the group believed the man was related to their criminal, but the man he turned out to be a bystander.
July 13, 2023: Group members got into a shootout in Alberta with a rival. A bystander was shot in the stomach.
Jan. 7, 2024: Group members drove to a residence and fired into the occupied building several times because of a monetary dispute.
Jan. 21, 2024: Group members fired into an occupied apartment using a fully automatic rifle.
Jan. 21, 2024: Group members fired into a different occupied apartment in a different complex with the fully automatic rifle and a 9mm pistol.
Jan: 22, 2024: Group members fired into an unoccupied residence with the fully automatic rifle.
April 12, 2024: Group members wearing masks got into an altercation with a group of people at an apartment complex. One member allegedly tried to shoot one of the people, but the gun did not fire. A shootout ensued as the group members left the complex. No victims have come forward or been identified in this case.
April 14, 2024: Multiple members of the group became involved in a large shootout in Coaling. A pistol, outfitted with a conversion device that made the weapon fully automatic, was used. One occupied vehicle was shot into, and three unoccupied vehicles were shot into. No one was killed.
May 22, 2024: Multiple group members go to an apartment complex and shoot around 100 rounds into six occupied apartments, one unoccupied building and one unoccupied vehicle. They also stole a motorcycle about an hour before the shooting.
10-May 25, 2024: Members of the group commit a homicide in Pickens County. A capital murder case is pending in Pickens County.
Reach Ken Roberts at [e-mail].
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Tuscaloosa police say group linked to 10 shootings, $1M in fraud