Four dead and 18 injured after 100 shots fired in suspected contract killing in Birmingham, Alabama

According to reports, several gunmen got out of a car and fired 100 shots outside the Hush hookah and cigar lounge on Magnolia Avenue in the Five Points South neighborhood before fleeing around 11 p.m. local time.

Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond believed the shooters targeted one person, who was killed while the other three were caught in the crossfire.

“We believe that this person was a murderer and that someone was willing to pay money to have this person killed,” he said.

“It wasn't the place that mattered, it was the person. And wherever the person was, that's where it would happen.

“Wherever they can catch that individual. That's just the place they happened to catch it.”

“This is a very tragic situation. There were people there who just wanted to have fun, who just wanted to spend a nice evening, and now this has happened.”

“They have injuries that they will have to live with for the rest of their lives. The trauma. The mental anguish.”

Birmingham police Officer Truman Fitzgerald said officers found two unconscious men and a woman with gunshot wounds on the sidewalk, and at least four victims had life-threatening injuries.

A fourth man died at the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham, according to hospital officials.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said the shooters may have used illegal weapon conversion devices called switches in their attack.

The devices “can convert semi-automatic pistols and rifles into fully automatic weapons in less than 60 seconds,” according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Woodfin said gun violence in the U.S. has reached “epidemic levels” and “I want to work with the state to solve this problem.”

“What happened in our community last night was extremely unfortunate,” he said.

“The priority is to find these shooters and get them off our streets. To do this, we need the support of the public.”

Birmingham police are investigating the incident along with the FBI and other agencies.

Located near the University of Alabama's Birmingham campus, Five Points South is a bustling restaurant, nightclub, pub and live music venue.

Saturday's incident came amid a nearly 50 percent increase in shootings in the region.

As of March 4, Birmingham police reported 17 murders, 41.7 percent more than in the same period last year, when 12 murders were recorded.