Desmon Montez Ray Jr, 28, was killed during an officer-involved shooting in Birmingham on Easter Sunday 2021. Officers had responded to a reported domestic disturbance, pursued a vehicle that matched the description, and stopped it after it struck a fence in the 200 block of 9th Avenue West. Police say Ray exited the vehicle and confronted officers with a firearm; an officer then fired, and Ray was taken to a hospital where he died.

The shooting prompted immediate family grief and public calls for transparency. Relatives and activists said the family was not allowed to view or identify the body and had received no timely communication from authorities. Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith released body-camera footage in May 2021; that release drew criticism from groups including Black Lives Matter Birmingham, who argued the family should have been shown the footage privately first.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency took over the investigation, and the officer who fired was placed on administrative duty while the inquiry continued. No public findings or charging decisions had been announced. If anyone knew Desmon Ray Jr or has information about the circumstances that night, please share what can help the ongoing investigation.