William Edwards was a 16-year-old junior and football team captain at Woodlawn High School when he was fatally shot at his family home on 80th Street North in Birmingham just after midnight on Saturday, September 1, 2018. Officers from the East Precinct responded about 12:30 a.m. after the city’s gunfire detection system, Shot Spotter, alerted them; Edwards was found unresponsive inside the house. Police said the bullets that killed him were fired from outside the home and that they did not believe the shooting was random.

Within days investigators arrested 17-year-old Rodrick Hodges; on September 11, 2018, he was charged with capital murder and held in the Jefferson County Jail. A motive was not released, and the victim’s mother said she was told Hodges and her son were not acquainted and that Hodges allegedly claimed he had been paid to carry out the shooting.

Does anyone who knew William or who was near 80th Street North that night have information that could help explain why he was targeted?