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Birmingham, Ala., high school student Gerald Andre Lomax, Jr. died Nov. 13 after being shot while leaving a local basketball game, per local authorities who said they are investigating the homicide.
By Will Reid Nov 16, 2024 12:05 AMTags
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A high school football star is dead after a tragic killing.
Gerald Andre Lomax, Jr., 17, was shot inside a vehicle as he left a high school basketball game Nov. 12, and passed away from his injuries the following day, according to a series of Birmingham Police Department press releases obtained by E! News.
Birmingham, Ala. police responded to a call of a person shot around 9:50 p.m. local time. When authorities arrived, Lomax—a varsity football and basketball player at P.D. Jackson-Olin High School—was found unresponsive and taken to UAB Hospital with an apparent gunshot wound.
Prior to the incident, the teen “was involved in a verbal altercation while leaving a basketball game,” according to the police department’s preliminary investigation. As he and a friend attempted to leave, an unidentified gunman fired “multiple shots” into their vehicle and struck Lomax, leading his friend to drive to nearby Woodlawn High School for help, according to the press releases.
The teen’s mother, Courtney Brown, was by her son’s side in his final moments.
“I laid there with my baby until he took his last breath so I know it’s true,” she told AL.com, “but I can’t make sense of it. He was so sweet, and he didn’t mess with anybody.”
“I told him that I loved him and that I was very proud of him,’’ she added. “I promised I would take care of his brother and sister.”
Facebook/Woodlawn High School
Police are continuing investigate the homicide case. As of Nov. 15, no arrests had been made in connection to the shooting, Birmingham police told People.
In a video message posted on social media, Birmingham City Schools superintendent Mark Sullivan urged students and their families to help end the violence.
“We owe it to our children to give them the safest environment possible,” he said in the video shared on Instagram Nov. 13, “and the opportunity to enjoy a full life.”
“We want to help them to learn to navigate conflicts by using resolution skills in hopes that it will avoid the loss of life in our schools and in our city,” he continued. “Students, we are here for you, we love you and we encourage you to find a trusted source if you are hurting, angry or need help.”
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