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6 informants to share $50,000 reward in mass shooting outside Hush lounge in Birmingham

6 informants to share ,000 reward in mass shooting outside Hush lounge in Birmingham

Six people will split the $50,000 reward money for information they provided that led to the arrest of the 22-year-old suspect in mass shooting outside Hush lounge in Birmingham.

Crime Stoppers announced the agency’s largest payout to date on Friday.

Chairman Frank Barefield said the six informants were among more than 120 who called in about the September massacre, providing information of equal value that led to his arrest. Damien Laron McDaniel III.

Each informant will receive $8,333 just in time for Christmas, he said.

“It’s great to see our community come together to provide information on this crime,” Barefield said.

McDaniel is caccused of killing 11 people and injuring 29 others in five incidents between July and September, including the Sept. 21 mass shooting on Birmingham’s Southside.

Killed were Carlos McCain, 27, Roderick Lynn Patterson Jr., 26, Anitra Holloman, 21, and Tahj Booker, 27. Seventeen others were injured.

Police say multiple gunmen fired more than 100 rounds — including automatic gunfire — at a long line of people waiting to enter Hush. Investigators quickly said they believed the barrage of gunfire was a “hit” — a murder on their own targeting at least one of the men killed in the shooting.

McDaniel is the only person charged in the Hush shooting, but the investigation is ongoing and several suspects are still being sought.

“To be very clear, this is still an open and active investigation,” Woodfin said. “We want to reiterate to the general public that if you have information that will lead to more arrests, please come forward with that information.”

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Damien McDaniel III walks into a Jefferson County courtroom on December 12, 2024.Carol Robinson

Crime Stoppers is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in this case. In addition, the FBI has offered an additional $50,000 for an arrest and conviction, so informants who receive the payment announced Friday could receive more if McDaniel is tried and convicted.

“We thank the members of our community for stepping up, being brave, coming forward with credible information that led to the arrest of a person who hurt people, who killed people,” said Mayor Randall Woodfin.

“The work of Crime Stoppers, the work of Birmingham Police detectives, works best when members of the community step forward,” the mayor said. “I believe one of the best ways we can reduce gun violence in the city of Birmingham is to have members of the community who have credible information, who know who the shooters are, continue to provide information to detectives.”

“If they don’t want to do it in a way that puts them out there, their name, that’s where Crime Stoppers comes in,” Woodfin said.

The largest reward prior to the one offered in the mass shooting was $25,000 after the kidnapping of Kamille “Cupcake” McKinney. The 3-year-old was kidnapped from a birthday party in 2019 and later found murdered. Two people were arrested and convicted.

“It’s a life-changing reward,” Barefield previously said, “and you’re totally anonymous.”

Crime Stoppers board members, who are notified by police when a tip comes in, vote weekly on whether to award rewards.

Bounties are frequently paid and have been distributed in both the Cupcake McKinney death investigations and The Killing of Mahogany Jackson.

When a tipster calls Crime Stoppers or sends a tip via text or app, they are assigned a unique ID number. Crime Stoppers and the police never know identifying information about the informant.

A computer program generates the recommended reward amount based on the level of the crime and other variables. Once the board votes to issue the reward, the informant is notified by their ID number – usually through the app – that they have a message.

They are then assigned a unique pickup number and directed to a secure location to receive their cash reward. The person giving out the money has no idea it’s for a Crime Stoppers reward.

Birmingham police notified Crime Stoppers several days ago of the six informants eligible for the Hush reward, and the Crime Stoppers board voted Thursday to pay the money.

Tipsters will be notified in the next few days and can receive their money next week.

“There’s that rumor that we don’t pay,” Barefield said. “Hopefully people will see that we do what we say we’re going to do.”

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest.