An Alabama community is grieving after a shooting left one high school senior dead and his best friend seriously injured, leading to the arrest of five suspects, including two teenagers.
Eighteen-year-old Brandon Campbell was killed, and 17-year-old Sam Slaughter was wounded in the shooting, which occurred Saturday, Jan. 10, along Tuscaloosa Avenue in Birmingham. The two friends were together in a car when gunfire erupted.
Police said the vehicle was struck by multiple shots. Campbell was able to drive away from the scene but crashed into a tree a short distance later while attempting to reach a family member for help. Campbell was pronounced dead at the scene, while Slaughter was transported to a local hospital, where he underwent surgery for multiple gunshot wounds.
Authorities announced on Friday, Jan. 16, that five people have been charged in connection with the shooting: Algie Eugene Surrell Jr., 27; Kavari Wells, 19; Ricco Wells, 22; and two 17-year-olds. Ricco Wells and one of the juveniles face charges of capital murder and attempted murder. Surrell and Kavari Wells have been charged with capital murder, while the second juvenile is charged with felony murder. All five suspects are being held without bond.
Investigators have not publicly released a motive, but police believe the victims may have been targeted in an attempted robbery.
Campbell was a senior at Pleasant Grove High School and was preparing to graduate. On Friday, the school community gathered for a balloon release in his memory. Family members, friends, school staff, and Slaughter’s parents spoke during the vigil, honoring Campbell’s life and character.
Slaughter participated in the memorial via FaceTime from the hospital, speaking with friends for the first time since his surgery.
“Brandon was full of life, laughter, and joy,” one speaker said during the event. “May we all find comfort in knowing that’s how he lived.”
Slaughter’s father described the boys’ close bond, calling them “two peas in a pod.”
“If you saw one, you saw the other,” he said. “They were real friends. That kind of friendship is rare.”
He also spoke about his son’s recovery and character, emphasizing that Slaughter is a good student who has received overwhelming support from teachers and the community.
“I want people to know he’s not a gang-affiliated kid,” the father said. “He’s a good kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
In the wake of the tragedy, family members and community leaders are calling for greater awareness and action to address gun violence.
“This child didn’t just belong to our family,” Slaughter’s father said. “He belonged to the world. Something has to change so other families don’t have to experience this kind of loss.”
Police confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing.