The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a group of masked gunmen who opened fire on a crowd outside a Prichard restaurant early Sunday, killing one man and wounding another in what investigators are calling a senseless act of violence.
Deputies responded at approximately 3:45 a.m. Sunday to reports of shots fired near Fry Daddy’s at 405 South Wilson Avenue, an area Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch says is known as a popular late-night stop for people leaving nearby clubs.
“That little area has always been an active area,” Burch said. “There’s a couple little clubs right close by… At 3:45 Sunday morning, people were hanging out, placing orders.”
Witnesses told investigators a white or light-colored SUV, possibly a Jeep or Dodge Durango, pulled up to the crowd gathered near the restaurant and food trucks in the area. Three to four masked shooters got out of the vehicle and opened fire, according to authorities.
Deputies located 25-year-old Deonti Charly behind a vacant building in the 400 block of East Main Street, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Charly, who had just finished placing a food order, was pronounced dead at the scene.
“We did recover about 25 shell casings,” Burch said.
A second victim, identified by the Sheriff’s Office as Ken Reed, was taken to a local hospital by private vehicle after also sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, and he continues to receive treatment.
Investigators with the Major Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Investigators processed the scene, recovering a firearm, a cellphone and Charly’s vehicle, a tan 2006 Ford Taurus, in addition to the spent shell casings. Detectives have obtained surveillance footage from nearby businesses, though so far no video has captured the shooting itself.
“People tend to, not only do they run [after an incident], they start filming with their phones. And sometimes that footage begins to trickle in,” Burch said, adding that he expects bystander video to help identify those responsible.
Gun violence prevention advocate Vaughnie Davis said the shooting, which unfolded in front of families and other bystanders enjoying a weekend night out, could have been far worse.
“It’s senseless, and oh, I mean, it’s so many different things that could have transpired or taken place leading up to the incident,” Davis said. “There was 25 shell casings; like, that’s overkill. And then when you take into consideration, you got families out here, people that’s just out here coming to enjoy themselves on the weekend.”
No suspects have been identified. The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information, including cellphone video from the scene, to come forward. Tips can be submitted by calling 251-574-8633 or through the agency’s anonymous tip line.
Update, July 22: The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office announced an arrest in the case during a press conference held Tuesday afternoon at MCSO headquarters on South Royal Street.
Investigators say 20-year-old Ashton Tremichael Johnson-Whitfield of Mobile has been arrested and charged with murder and shooting into an occupied vehicle in connection with the shooting. Authorities allege Johnson-Whitfield was one of three or four masked people who pulled up in the white vehicle described by witnesses and opened fire into the crowd.
Sheriff Paul Burch said investigators believe Charly and the suspect knew each other, though a motive for the shooting has not been determined. Johnson-Whitfield has denied knowing the victim and maintains his innocence, according to officials.
Burch credited cooperation from the Prichard community with helping investigators identify a suspect quickly. “We found him pretty quickly; shows how our partnership with the Prichard community is getting stronger, part of it was their involvement in helping solve this case,” Burch said.
The Sheriff’s Office says the investigation remains active, with at least two more suspects believed to be involved still being sought. Burch said additional arrests are expected. Anyone with information is asked to call 251-574-8633 or contact MCSO’s anonymous tip line.
Local law enforcement across South Alabama is carried out by municipal police departments, county sheriff’s offices, and state agencies that together cover a mix of urban, suburban, and rural territory. City departments handle policing within municipal limits, while sheriff’s offices provide courthouse security, jail operations, and patrol in unincorporated areas.
Healthcare in the Mobile area is anchored by several hospital systems and provider networks that serve patients across southwest Alabama, the Gulf Coast, and into parts of Mississippi and Florida. Large employers in the sector include regional health systems operating hospitals, clinics, and specialty centers, alongside university-affiliated providers.
Local government in the Mobile area operates through a combination of mayor-council or commission structures at the municipal level and a county commission in Mobile County, with elected officials handling budgets, public safety, infrastructure, and zoning. Baldwin County has its own commission and a collection of incorporated municipalities.
The economy of the Mobile region is diversified across shipping and logistics, aerospace and shipbuilding, healthcare, tourism, and manufacturing. The Port of Mobile is one of the nation’s busiest seaports and a cornerstone of the local and state economy.
Mobile is the county seat of Mobile County in southwest Alabama and the state’s only saltwater port. Situated where the Mobile River meets Mobile Bay near the northern Gulf of Mexico, the city has long served as a commercial and cultural gateway between Alabama and the wider Gulf Coast. Founded in 1702 as Fort Louis de la Louisiane and ruled in turn by France, Britain, and Spain before joining the United States in 1813, Mobile carries a layered heritage distinct from the rest of the state.
The natural environment is central to life on the Gulf Coast, where barrier islands, bays, rivers, and wetlands support fisheries, recreation, and storm protection. Coastal Alabama faces challenges common to low-lying regions, including hurricane exposure, erosion, and the management of fragile ecosystems.
The history of South Alabama is shaped by its position at the crossroads of cultures and waters. Indigenous peoples, including the Muscogee (Creek) and Choctaw, lived in the region for centuries before European colonization by French, British, and Spanish powers.
Education in South Alabama spans public school systems in Mobile and Baldwin counties, a network of private and parochial schools, and institutions of higher learning including the University of South Alabama, Spring Hill College, and community colleges. Public-school governance rests with locally elected boards.
Local journalism serves as the connective tissue of communities like those across South Alabama, informing residents about government, schools, public safety, and the events that shape daily life. Outlets covering Mobile and Baldwin County help hold institutions accountable and give voice to neighborhood concerns larger media may overlook.
Charitable and nonprofit organizations form a vital safety net across South Alabama, addressing needs from hunger and homelessness to disaster relief and holiday assistance. Groups such as The Salvation Army operate local corps that provide shelter, food, and seasonal programs funded largely by community donations.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the principal investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice, tasked with protecting the country against terrorist threats, foreign intelligence operations, cyber attacks, and major criminal activity. Established in 1908, the bureau operates a network of field offices across the country, each responsible for federal law-enforcement matters within its region.
Probate courts in Alabama handle matters distinct from the trial courts that hear criminal and civil cases, including wills, estates, guardianships, and involuntary commitments for mental-health treatment. In Mobile County the probate judge is an elected official with broad administrative and judicial duties.
Behavioral-health care on the Gulf Coast is provided by a mix of community mental-health organizations, hospital systems, and private practitioners. Community centers play an especially important role in serving patients who might otherwise lack access to care, often coordinating with courts, jails, and social services.
Mobile lays claim to a long tradition of outdoor festivals and public celebration, most famously its Carnival or Mardi Gras season, which predates the better-known celebrations of New Orleans. Throughout the year the region hosts music festivals, food and arts events, and waterfront gatherings that draw visitors from across the Gulf Coast.
Collegiate athletics are a major part of life in southern Alabama, where the University of South Alabama in Mobile fields the Jaguars across a range of sports. The university’s football program, which began competition in the 2000s, has become a rallying point for students, alumni, and residents and a source of regional pride.
Baldwin County sits directly east of Mobile County across Mobile Bay and is the largest county in Alabama by land area. It encompasses the Eastern Shore communities of Daphne, Fairhope, Spanish Fort, and Foley and stretches south to the beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach along the Gulf of Mexico.
The Gulf of Mexico borders Alabama’s southern edge and defines much of the state’s coastal identity. Alabama’s Gulf coastline, centered on Dauphin Island, Gulf Shores, and Orange Beach, supports a tourism industry built around beaches, charter fishing, and marine recreation, while offshore waters host shipping lanes and energy interests.
Alabama is a state in the southeastern United States bordered by Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and Mississippi. Often called the Heart of Dixie, it spans Appalachian foothills in the north and flat coastal plains in the south. Its largest cities include Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville, and Mobile.