Rodrigo Renteria Bravo Death – In the early hours of Saturday morning, tragedy struck at a Birmingham gas station when a man was fatally shot.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim as Rodrigo Renteria Bravo, a 34-year-old resident of Birmingham.
The incident, which has left the local community in shock, unfolded in the 1100 Block of 3rd Avenue West, at an Exxon gas station, a location usually frequented by residents and commuters alike.
Around 2:40 a.m., West Precinct officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert—an automated system designed to detect and notify law enforcement of gunfire in real-time. The alert was triggered by multiple gunshots in the vicinity of the gas station.
Upon arrival, officers found Bravo lying in the parking lot, gravely wounded by a gunshot. Despite their prompt response, it was too late to save Bravo’s life, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Exxon gas station where the shooting occurred was closed at the time, suggesting that the incident took place in an area with little to no foot traffic.
However, just across the street, El Centenario Nightclub was open and bustling with patrons. It is unclear whether any of the club’s patrons witnessed the shooting, but the proximity of the nightclub raises questions about potential witnesses who may have critical information.
Birmingham police are actively investigating the incident. Officer Truman Fitzgerald, a spokesperson for the Birmingham Police Department, confirmed that the ShotSpotter system registered multiple rounds fired, indicating that the shooting was not an isolated act. The number of shots fired suggests that the assailant may have intended to ensure Bravo’s death, though the motive remains unclear at this stage.
Detectives have canvassed the area surrounding the gas station, searching for surveillance cameras that might have captured the shooting or the suspect’s movements before and after the crime. Surveillance footage could provide valuable leads in identifying the perpetrator and understanding the circumstances leading up to the fatal shooting. As of now, the police have not disclosed whether any footage has been recovered or if any potential suspects have been identified.