A man is dead after a shooting in broad daylight at a Prichard gas station, according to authorities investigating the incident.
The shooting happened around 1 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon at the Energize Station located on St. Stephens Road near Interstate 65, a stretch of roadway that sees heavy commuter and commercial traffic throughout the day. The shooting occurred in full daylight rather than under the cover of night, adding to concerns among nearby residents and business owners about safety in the area.
A family member identified the victim as Demetrius Allen, who went by the nicknames “Meechie” and “Big Meat” among friends and relatives. Details about a possible motive or the circumstances leading up to the shooting had not been released by investigators as the case remained under investigation.
Prichard police, along with other area law enforcement, responded to the scene and began working to identify potential witnesses and any vehicles that may have been involved in the incident. In the hours following the shooting, investigators indicated they were searching for a vehicle possibly connected to the case, a detail authorities hoped would help generate public tips.
The St. Stephens Road corridor near I-65 has seen previous law enforcement activity, and the shooting added to a string of violent incidents reported in Prichard and the surrounding Mobile County area during the final weeks of 2014. Prichard, a small city bordering Mobile, has periodically pursued revitalization initiatives even as it continues to grapple with public safety challenges common to many small municipalities with limited resources.
The killing marked the latest in a series of violent crimes Mobile County investigators worked to close out before the end of the year, and officials said solving cases like this one often depends heavily on tips from residents who witnessed something out of the ordinary.
Anyone with information about the shooting or the vehicle investigators were seeking was encouraged to contact Prichard police or Mobile County law enforcement. The investigation into Allen’s death remained active, with officials continuing to appeal to the public for tips that could help identify a suspect.