The quiet of a Saturday morning in Birmingham’s Collegeville neighborhood was shattered by gunfire on Nov. 8, leaving residents in shock and a family grieving. According to the Birmingham Police Department, the victim has been identified as 30-year-old Anson Quandarius Henderson of Birmingham, who was fatally shot in the 3200 block of 32nd Street North.
Officers from the North Precinct say they were originally dispatched to a call involving a domestic altercation in that block around 10:14 a.m. Saturday. As the call unfolded, gunfire erupted. Investigators say the resident argued with his child’s mother, and after things seemed to calm and she left, another vehicle arrived and multiple rounds were fired into an occupied dwelling.
Moments later, authorities say they identified a 26-year-old woman, Brittney Watson of Brighton, Alabama, as a suspect. Watson was apprehended without further incident near 32nd Avenue and 32nd Place North while reportedly attempting to flee the scene.
Watson is now charged with murder as well as discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling. With the initial investigation complete, she is being held in the Jefferson County Jail without bond while detectives continue to piece together exactly what led to this tragic incident.
Police haven’t released a clear motive for the shooting, though the domestic fight between Henderson and his child’s mother appears to be tied to the event. Detectives urge anyone with additional information to contact the BPD Homicide Unit or anonymously submit a tip through Crime Stoppers.
Neighbors say the usually peaceful area of 32nd Street North now feels shaken. “It’s hard to believe something like this would happen right here,” one resident remarked. “We heard the shots, saw the police—it hit too close to home.” The neighborhood watch group is already coordinating with officers for extra patrols as the investigation unfolds.
As the BPD continues its work, the family of Henderson is left grappling with a sudden loss and unanswered questions. With Watson behind bars and the community on edge, the hope now is for a transparent investigation and some measure of justice in the days ahead.
