Birmingham police: Officer's gun discharged in Gate City shooting

Lt. Edwards with Birmingham police speaks at officer-involved shooting scene. (Source: Vincent... — Lt. Edwards with Birmingham police speaks at officer-involved shooting scene. (Source: Vincent Parker/WBRC)

BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) - Investigators have determined that a Birmingham police officer's weapon discharged in a shooting that injured a man on Thursday afternoon.

The officer-involved shooting happened in the Gate City neighborhood in east Birmingham around 4:39 p.m. Sept. 8.

Police responded to a call about a man armed with two guns who was acting erratically and irrationally in the area, Lt. Sean Edwards said.

A Birmingham Police Department task force was in the area, so they responded and when they identified the man, they chased him on foot.

Edwards said during the pursuit, the officer and suspect collided and a gun went off. The suspect was hit in the torso, Edwards confirmed.

It was initially unclear whose gun discharged, but Edwards said on Friday that investigators determined it was the officer's gun.

The shooting happened in the area of Joppa Court and Georgia Road in the Gate City housing complex.

The officer and suspect were taken to the hospital. Edwards said the suspect's injuries did not appear life-threatening, adding that he was "cussing and raging" before being transported to the hospital.

As of 8:30 p.m., the officer had been released from the hospital.

Police are still interviewing witnesses about the incident. Edwards said many reported hearing the man making vulgar comments.

A woman who claims to be the mother of the suspect said that she learned from a family member that her son, 33-year-old Willie Burrell, was shot.

She told us that she has been searching all night for answers about what happened to her son. She said that police would not tell her anything and would not let her see her son.

"Very frustrated because I don't have the police word, I don't have his [word]. I don't even know what happened. You know, I don't know who shot who? Why was he being chased? What was he supposed to have done? They have not given me any reason for this altercation," Gloria Thomas explained.

She told us that she did not even know that her son had any guns and that she has no clue where he could have gotten them.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and State Bureau of Investigation are looking into the case. Once their investigation is complete, the case will be turned over to the District Attorney's Office, Edwards said.