Two years after firefighter shot, his mother plans to tell his story

By Zoe Blair

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    BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WVTM) — It’s been two years since Birmingham firefighter Jordan Melton was shot inside Fire Station 9.

It took 19 of those months to make an arrest in his murder.

Birmingham Police Department added charges to mass shooting suspect Damien McDaniel in the murder of Jordan Melton as well as the attempted murder of fellow firefighter Jamal Jones.

Melton and Jones were doing routine morning maintenance at Station 9 on July 12, 2023 when a man, believed to be McDaniel, entered through an open bay and opened fire, according to the Birmingham Police Department and Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service.

Both firefighters were then rushed to UAB Hospital. On July 17, five days after the shooting, Melton died from his injuries.

McDaniel’s attorney, John Robbins, released the following statement on the charges for Melton below:

“We were aware that there was further investigations going on that were separate from the pending cases. So, we are not too surprised by the additional charges.

“The defense team will not be deterred from providing our client with a vigorous defense that our system of justice demands. The defense team understands and appreciates the pain and suffering that the family and friends of all the victims have experienced and will continue to experience as these cases play out in court. We are not blind to that aspect of any homicide case.

“We will conduct the defense in a professional and ethical manner, but the whole team will do their best to provide our client with effective representation As lead counsel, I hope that everyone in the community who follows these cases will remember that Damien has not been convicted of any killing or shooting; that not one shred of evidence has been presented in court to support these charges; and that Damien stands before the court presumed to be innocent.

Let’s keep that in mind as we go forward.”

Late last year, Birmingham police announced McDaniel was being charged with killing Diontronet Brown on September 19 and Tahj Booker, Carlos McCain, Anitra Holloman and Roderick Patterson in the Five Points South mass shooting two days later.

He was also charged with killing Jamarcus McIntyre the following day.

About a month later, McDaniel was accused of killing Markeshia Gettings, Stevie McGhee, Angela Weatherspoon and Lerandus Anderson at the Trendsetter event venue on July 13 and Charlie Moore exactly a month later in his apartment.

In all, McDaniel is now linked to 18 murders dating back to the summer of 2023.

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