Birmingham police respond to massive reports of fireworks and celebratory gunfire, one patrol car hit

BIRMINGHAM, Al.

Birmingham police report they seized nine weapons and arrested nine people Saturday night and early this morning as part of Operation Crackdown to cut down on celebratory gunfire.

No deaths or injuries were reported from the gunfire.

But one Birmingham police patrol car was struck by gunfire in the Roosevelt City area, said Birmingham Police Sgt. Johnny Williams.

The arrests included one adult on a gunfire charge, according to a statement from the Birmingham Police Department issued early this morning. Of the nine charged, one was charged with a felony and the others were misdemeanors.

The reports did not include total guns seized or arrests made by patrol officers not  involved with the operation.

One person also was cited for a curfew violation.

Between 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 a.m. today officers on patrol and those involved in  Operation Crackdown responded to a combined 2,441 fireworks and gunfire reports. That includes 829 reports from residents and 1,612 from the police department's ShotSpotter system, which detects and distinguishes between gunfire and fireworks.