Alabama mass shooting survivor tells of harrowing survival

Gabriel Eslami cannot forget the smell of gun smoke in the air, the screams of the wounded, and the sight of bodies scattered after the tragic incident that took place outside a popular nightclub in Birmingham, Alabama. The incident resulted in four fatalities and 17 individuals injured.

Eslami himself was one of the victims, sustaining injuries from a bullet that tore through his leg, buttock, and nicked his penis.

The 24-year-old was waiting with friends in a line of approximately 100 people outside Hush Lounge in Birmingham when the sound of gunfire rang out, and he felt the impact of the gunshot.

The deceased have been identified as Anitra Holloman, 21, Tahj Booker, 27, Carlos McCain, 27, and Roderick Lynn Patterson Jr., 26, according to AL.com.

“It was like a string of Black Cat firecrackers, but a million times louder. It was echoing off the buildings,” Eslami described the horrifying experience.

Despite attempting to flee, Eslami’s left leg went numb, causing him to collapse on the ground with a gunshot wound and bleeding profusely. 

“I glanced back and all I saw were bodies on the pavement. The air was filled with smoke, gun smoke, illuminated by the street lights. It was eerie… People were in a state of panic, running with their shoes falling off. There were personal belongings scattered everywhere,” Eslami recounted.

The shooters, who are still at large with a $100,000 reward for their capture, were targeting a specific individual and fired over 100 rounds into the crowded nightlife area before fleeing in a vehicle, as per police reports.

The incident is suspected to be a planned hit job, with authorities believing that at least one of the firearms used had an illegal “Glock switch” enabling it to fire automatically.

Eslami’s doctors informed him that the bullet narrowly missed a major artery by millimeters.

At that moment, Eslami feared he would bleed out. He spotted a bystander hiding behind a car and pleaded for assistance.

“I said, ‘I’m hit! I’m hit!’ I hoped he would come over and help apply pressure, but he just stared at me,” Eslami recalled. “It was every man for himself.”

Eslami described how “puddles of blood” flowed from his leg onto the ground before paramedics transported him to a nearby hospital.

“When my parents arrived, they witnessed others being informed, ‘I’m sorry, your son or daughter has passed away.’ People were collapsing in the hallway,” he shared.

Currently recovering at home with a minor injury to his private area and a bullet wound in his buttocks, Eslami has been given the nickname “Forrest Gump” by his friends.

“I can make light-hearted jokes about it, but I am grateful to be alive. Some individuals did not walk away from that sidewalk.”