Victims of mass murder in Alabama may have been victims of a contract killing, police say

Some of the four people killed in a fatal shooting in Alabama had “extensive criminal” histories and may have been killed in a “cowardly” manner. It was a contract killer, authorities said on Monday.

Gunshots were fired Saturday evening when a “large group of people” gathered outside the Hush Lounge in Birmingham, Alabama's second-largest city, authorities there said.

Authorities said several gunmen drove up in a vehicle, got out and opened fire before getting back into the vehicle and fleeing.

An early theory in this case is that these shooters may have been paid to kill specific people.

“Some of the people killed have a long criminal history,” Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond told reporters. “And so the motives are often different and there are people willing to pay to have them killed. And that's part of it.”

The four dead were among the 21 people shot.

By Monday morning, 12 of the 17 injured had left the hospital, officials said.

Authorities are offering a $100,000 reward ($50,000 from the FBI and $50,000 from Crime Stoppers) for information that could lead to the case being successful.

Many of those killed were “collateral damage” in the attack on specific targets, Thurmond added.

“You often see people in a line who are most likely unarmed, because when you go into a club you are not allowed to have a weapon on you,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. “As heinous as this was, it was also one of the most cowardly things we have ever seen. These are cowards.”

Three of the four fatalities are Alabama residents and are identified as Anitra Holloman, 21, of Bessemer, Tahj Booker, 27, of Birmingham and Carlos McCain, 27, also of Birmingham. The fourth man killed could not immediately be identified.

This is a developing story, please check back later for updates.