Ricky Howard Hamrick II, 39, traveled from Heflin to Bessemer, Alabama, on July 24, 2022, to meet buyers for two handguns and brought his eight-year-old daughter with him. The meeting in the 1300 block of 6th Avenue North turned deadly shortly before 4:30 p.m. when two Black men approached the vehicle, fired into the car and struck Hamrick multiple times, including in the head. The men took the firearms and left on foot; Hamrick was found dead in the driver’s seat when Bessemer police arrived.

Neighbors who heard the shots took the uninjured child into a nearby home until officers came. No arrests have been announced, and investigators have asked the public for help identifying the two suspects. Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama highlighted the case a year later as authorities and the family continue to seek leads.

If anyone was in the 1300 block of 6th Avenue North around 4:30 p.m. on July 24, 2022, or has information about the two men who approached the car, please contact the Bessemer Police Department.