Man shot to death in front of infant in west Birmingham apartment

A man was shot to death Thursday, May 18, 2023, during an argument inside an apartment on Birmingham's Tempest Drive. (Carol Robinson)

A man was shot to death Thursday afternoon inside a west Birmingham apartment.

Police confirm a baby was inside the apartment when the shots rang out, and residents of the complex say the baby was newborn and was the victim's child.

Birmingham police Thursday night identified the victim as Antoine Deonta Ester. He was 26.

West Precinct officers were dispatched to Forest Hills Village on Tempest Drive about 2:25 p.m. on a report of a person shot.

When they entered the residence, they found the victim unresponsive. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced Ester dead on the scene.

Officer Truman Fitzgerald said there was a group of people gathered inside the apartment – probably less than 10 people – when an argument between the victim and the unidentified suspect erupted. The suspect, he said, then fired shots at the victim.

Neighbors said the apartment belonged to Ester's sister. Fitzgerald confirmed a child was in the apartment.

"We’re very thankful that child was not struck by gunfire,’’ he said. "We’re thankful we didn't have more injuries."

Fitzgerald said detectives are questioning those who were inside the home when the deadly shooting took place. A motive has not yet been uncovered, but investigators believe the victim and the suspect were acquainted.

Because of the timing of the homicide, multiple young children were heading home during the investigation, having to walk through crime scene tape to get to their families.

Ester is the city's 47th homicide in 2023. Of those, one was an officer=involved shooting by an outside law enforcement agency and two others have been ruled justifiable and therefore aren't deemed criminal.

In all of Jefferson County there have been 58 homicides, including the 47 in Birmingham.

Anyone with information is asked to all homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.

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