On April 4, 2023, 28-year-old Tedarrius Quentez Smith was shot and killed by Jefferson County deputies after a traffic stop and brief pursuit in the Collegeville public housing area of Birmingham. Deputies say the pursuit ended on the 3000 block of 30th Court North, where Smith exited his vehicle armed with a handgun and pointed it at officers, prompting them to open fire. Smith was found fatally wounded in a grassy area beneath a bridge and his body was later covered as the scene was processed.

Smith’s family disputed the account, telling those at the scene they believed he did not have a firearm and had not fired any shots. They also said the call that triggered the stop may have followed an allegation of kidnapping made by his wife. Smith was a father of nine. The shooting was being handled as an officer-involved incident and no arrests had been announced in the immediate aftermath.

If anyone witnessed the pursuit or the moments at 30th Court North, or has information about what led to the stop, please come forward.