Harold McArthor King,Alejandro Albaran Obituary, Death;- Authorities have disclosed the identities of two men who were fatally shot in Birmingham within a span of less than 24 hours on Saturday, and they are seeking assistance in locating the family of one of the deceased.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office has identified the victims as Harold McArthor King, aged 55, and Alejandro Albaran, aged 29.
King was fatally shot around 3:30 a.m. on Saturday following a deadly argument outside a convenience store in Birmingham, marking the second homicide at this location in under two months.
The city’s gunfire detection system, known as Shot Spotter, notified police of gunfire at the Jefferson Avenue Food Mart, situated at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and 54th Street S.W.
Officers from the West Precinct arrived to discover King unresponsive in a field adjacent to the store’s parking lot. The Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service declared him dead at the scene at 3:56 a.m.
Fitzgerald stated that investigators suspect a verbal altercation occurred between the victim and the assailant, leading to the suspect shooting the victim and subsequently fleeing the scene.
A suspect was apprehended later on Saturday and is currently held in the city jail under a 48-hour hold as the investigation continues.
Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates mentioned that all attempts to locate King’s family have been unsuccessful.
In 2023, King had listed an address in the 7500 block of 66th Courtway South in Gate City, although it is believed he no longer resided there. He is thought to have lived in the West Brownville community, close to where the incident took place.
Local database inquiries revealed that King had no emergency contacts listed. It is believed he had a sister, but her identity and potential whereabouts remain unknown.
Another homicide happened at the store in broad daylight on Thursday, Oct. 16. That case was ruled justified. Albaran was killed just after 11 p.m. Saturday when a fight erupted during a party inside an apartment at Monarch Ridge, formerly known as Valley Brook Apartments.
In all of Jefferson County, there have been 117 homicides including the 82 in Birmingham. At this time last year, there had been 190 homicides. Family members of King are asked to call the coroner’s office at 205-930-3603. Anyone with information on either homicide is asked to call detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
