Firefighter dead, another seriously injured after horrific shooting inside Alabama firehouse: 'In my 25 years on the job, this is my worst day'

One Alabama firefighter is now dead and another remains in serious condition after a suspect walked into a fire station earlier this month and began shooting.

On the morning of July 12, firemen Jordan Melton, Jamal Jones, and others with the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service were at Station 9 in the Northwood area performing routine maintenance. The team had propped the bay door open, likely to make their chores easier and perhaps to increase airflow.

Unfortunately, the open door also left them vulnerable to outsiders, and around 8:30 a.m., a man walked into the building and opened fire. Melton and Jones were both struck in the attack and were raced to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital. While Jones remains at the hospital in serious condition, sadly, Melton succumbed to his injuries on July 17.

Captain Orlando Reynolds expressed the devastation he felt shortly after the shooting, a devastation that others likely shared. "In my 25 years on the job, this is my worst day," Reynolds said at the time. "This is awful."

According to a statement from Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Melton was a rookie in the department. He had joined the BFRS just over a year ago and had graduated from the recruit academy only one month before his death. Though few details about Melton, including his age, have been released, he is survived by his mother, who served as Melton's "rock" while he fought for his life at the hospital, Woodfin said.

"Jordan was a vibrant young brother who was full of life," the mayor's statement continued. "He loved to talk sports as much as he loved good barbecue. He had a brilliant mind for business, but he was always down to lighten the mood with a joke or two."

Woodfin also characterized the BFRS as "a family" that is now grieving the loss of one of its own. "Jordan paid the ultimate price for his service to our city, we will not let that sacrifice be in vain. We are his family, and his memory will be honored," Woodfin claimed.

Battalion Chief William Lipscomb added that bay doors at the firehouse will now be locked and that members of the public must now use a doorbell to gain admittance. "We all want our personnel to be safe," Lipscomb said.

"I was shocked that someone would actually come onto our property, into our house, and hurt two of our family members," Lipscomb continued, echoing the mayor's sentiments about family. "We’re a very close-knit department."

Investigators have indicated that the deadly attack may have been targeted but have otherwise shared few details. The suspect fled the scene in a silver vehicle and remains at large. No person of interest has been identified. Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama is offering a $45,000 reward to anyone with information leading to an arrest.

A funeral service for Melton will be held at Faith Chapel Christian Center on Wednesday afternoon. After the service, he will be taken to Elmwood Cemetery for final rest.

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