Willie Robert Morgan Obituary, Death; – A man who was fatally shot on an Interstate 59 off-ramp following a dispute over a minor vehicle collision has been identified.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office confirmed on Monday that the victim was Willie Robert Morgan, a 55-year-old resident of Birmingham. The investigation commenced shortly before 2 p.m. on Saturday when officers from the city’s North Precinct were dispatched to the I-59 southbound ramp at the 31st Street North exit in response to reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers found the victim unresponsive, and fire medics pronounced him dead at 2:03 p.m.
Officer Truman Fitzgerald stated that initial findings suggest that the victim and the suspect were involved in a minor accident on the off-ramp, which escalated into an argument, leading to the suspect shooting Morgan.
Surveillance footage from a nearby gas station captured part of the altercation, showing Morgan exiting his pickup truck and approaching the driver’s side of the vehicle in front of him. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle departed, and Morgan was found on the ground.
The suspect fled the scene but was swiftly identified. Under the direction of Interim Police Chief Michael Pickett, the police department’s Special Enforcement Team apprehended the suspect in Pleasant Grove.
The suspect has been booked into the Birmingham City Jail. Fitzgerald indicated that investigators will present the gathered evidence to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office to assess the possibility of filing charges. Morgan marks the 11th homicide in Birmingham for the year 2025, and he is the third victim within a span of 24 hours.
Earlier incidents included the shooting death of a 22-year-old man around midnight in Ensley, followed by the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old Birmingham City Schools student approximately 20 minutes later in north Birmingham.
This year, Jefferson County has recorded a total of 16 homicides, with 11 occurring in Birmingham alone. Authorities encourage anyone with information regarding any of these cases to contact detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
