Detective questions link between street race death, fatal shooting
Police said today a preliminary investigation into a deadly street race in the Pratt Community Sunday shows the fatal shooting there may not have been directly related to the accident that killed a bystander moments earlier.
The accident happened just before 4:30 p.m. during an illegal drag race on Republic Boulevard off Avenue W, an area commonly used for such races, authorities said.
Lonnie King, 29, from the Pratt area, was struck by one of two cars racing on Republic Boulevard off Avenue W while he was photographing race, police said.
A short time later, Anthony Lett, 36, of Huntsville, was shot to death.
Birmingham homicide Sgt. Cory Hardiman said there were several stories about what happened, including the widespread account from witnesses that Lett was shot after he wanted to take King to the hospital.
"That's not the case," Hardiman said today. "A dispute started after the accident and it was during the dispute the victim was shot and killed.
"It's related, but we don't have any evidence there was a dispute over taking anyone to the hospital."
A videotape of the accident is posted on the internet (see below). Hardiman said they have seen the video, but do not yet have a copy in their possession.
Hardiman said there were hundreds of people at the race, many of whom police believed videotaped the event.
"This is a real good example of people going on about their business when they could come forward with information," he said.
Anyone with information should call police at 254-1764.
That is hands down the roughest looking place on earth. Did you see the side streets...burned houses. The side subdiviosn streets had so much trach blocking them, you couldn't even drive down there!!
