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Media Release 186

Reclassification-Justifiable Death Ruling

The Birmingham Police Department reports detectives have received a ruling in connection to the homicide investigation of Clifford Savontay Grayson Jr. The incident occurred on Tuesday, August 3, 2021.

Investigators presented the information gathered to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s office for review. Following the assessment, the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office ruled the actions justifiable. This investigation is reclassified as a Justified Death Investigation.

The Birmingham Police Department has 63 murders thus far in 2021 and 7 justifiable death investigations.

The Birmingham Police Department adheres to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting guidelines set for all law enforcement agencies across the United States. FBI Uniform Crime Reporting guidelines do not require law enforcement agencies to include justifiable death investigations into the total homicide investigations counts.

**The information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation, which continues to evolve as investigators interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records, and analyze forensic evidence. The Department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed**

Homicide Investigation
(Media Release 183)

The Birmingham Police Department is conducting a homicide investigation. The incident occurred on Tuesday, August 3, 2021.

The victim has been identified as:
Clifford Grayson Jr., (27), B/M, of Birmingham, Alabama.

At approximately 5:15 p.m., East Precinct officers were dispatched to 3833 Eastlake Boulevard (Shell Gas) on report of a person shot. Officers arrived on the scene where they observed the victim unresponsive in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. The victim’s vehicle had collided into a separate vehicle near a gas pump.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue personnel arrived on the scene and pronounced the victim deceased. Patrol officers took a person of interest into custody on the scene free of any incident.

The preliminary investigation suggests the victim and the person of interest were involved in a verbal altercation prior to the shots being fired. BPD Homicide detectives will interview the person of interest at Birmingham Police Headquarters. We will provide updates on this investigation as they become available.

If there is anyone who has additional information pertaining to the case, please contact the B.P.D. Homicide Unit @ 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers @ 205-254-7777.

This is Birmingham’s 63rd homicide investigation of 2021 with 5 justifiable death investigations. The Birmingham Police Department adheres to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting guidelines set for all law enforcement agencies across the United States. FBI Uniform Crime Reporting guidelines do not require law enforcement agencies to include justifiable death investigations into the total homicide investigations counts.

**The information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation, which continues to evolve as investigators interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records, and analyze forensic evidence. The Department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may change
as additional evidence is collected and analyzed**

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Media Release 186- Homicide Investigation Update