Homicide Suspect Captured After Day-Long Manhunt

BIRMINGHAM, AL — A homicide suspect was captured near Irondale after police say he shot at officers near Crestwood Boulevard early Saturday morning. The incident began when police investigated a stolen vehicle at a hotel at the intersection of Crestwood Boulevard and Montevallo Road.

A report from Birmingham police said the vehicle had been stolen from Auburn and was involved in a homicide. A K-9 unit was deployed to the area, and a silver sedan tried to leave the area when officers arrived. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, a person got out of the vehicle and fired rounds at the officers, police said.

Officers lost sight of the suspect during the exchange and the investigation led police to a home at the 100 block of Briar Grove Drive, off Montclair Road. Officers located a person inside a residence who appeared to have died from a gunshot wound.

Police say the suspect was captured and taken from the scene in an ambulance, having suffered an apparent gunshot wound from the shootout with police.

Four homicides, stretching from Auburn Friday morning to Irondale Saturday morning, are thought to be tied to this suspect, police said.

The U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, FBI, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Auburn PD and Irondale police assisted in Saturday's search efforts.

The suspect has been identified as 32-year-old Derrick Hightower of Columbus, Ga. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office was searching for Hightower Friday after a robbery in Chelsea.

Evidence was located that helped Shelby County investigators connect Hightower to the robbery in Chelsea. Investigators plan to obtain arrest warrants against Hightower in connection with the robbery.