Damien Antonio Minard

In the predawn hours of Saturday, April 6, 2024, a walk along a quiet road in Midfield, Alabama, ended in tragedy for Damien Antonio Minard. The 43-year-old Black man was walking in the 1300 block of Woodward Road when he was fatally shot. The incident happened around 2 a.m., shattering the early morning stillness of the Jefferson County community. First responders with Midfield Fire and Rescue arrived at the scene to find Mr. Minard, but it was too late. He was pronounced dead at the location.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office launched a homicide investigation into the shooting, but the circumstances surrounding the attack remain unclear. Details about what led to the gunfire or who might have been responsible have not been released to the public. In the days, weeks, and months that followed, no suspects were publicly identified, and no arrests were made, leaving a void of answers for a grieving family and a concerned community. The case quickly grew cold, another unsolved homicide on the files of local law enforcement.

Midfield, a city of about 5,000 residents just west of Birmingham, is a community grappling with the impacts of violent crime, like many areas in the region. Woodward Road, where Mr. Minard was killed, is a thoroughfare that cuts through residential and semi-industrial parts of the city. The lack of progress in the investigation highlights the challenges detectives face when witnesses do not come forward or when physical evidence is scarce. For investigators, every piece of information, no matter how small, can be the key to breaking a case open.

A year after Mr. Minard's death, his family was still waiting for justice. In April 2025, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama issued a renewed appeal for public assistance. Bob Copus, the Director of Crime Stoppers, emphasized the crucial role the community plays in solving such cases. “Detectives never give up on cases, but when they go cold, we need your help,” Copus stated. He urged anyone who might have seen or heard something unusual that morning to come forward. “It could be something as small as a noise you heard, a strange car you saw, or any detail that might seem insignificant but could make all thedifference.”

The appeal underscores the lingering questions that haunt this case. Was this a random act of violence, or was Mr. Minard targeted? Was there a dispute, or was it a robbery gone wrong? Without witnesses or a suspect, investigators are left with a puzzle that has yet to be solved. The silence surrounding the case only deepens the mystery and prolongs the suffering of those who knew and loved Damien Minard.

As of April 2025, the investigation into the murder of Damien Antonio Minard remains open and active. Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama is offering a cash reward of up to $5,000 for any information that leads to an arrest. Authorities continue to hope that someone will come forward with the information needed to bring closure to the case and provide answers to a family still searching for them. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office at 205-325-1450 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777, where they can remain anonymous.