Jefferson County Coroner's Office: Identifications of five men killed in Ensley still pending

BIRMINGHAM, Al.

The Jefferson County Coroner's Office is not expected to release the identities of the five men found shot to death inside an Ensley house until Monday afternoon, a deputy coroner reported this afternoon.

More than a dozen people who are family members of the five slain men had gathered about noon today at Cooper Green Mercy Hospital, where the coroner's office is located, hoping to get information about their loved ones. Police came and told the families to disperse.

As of early this afternoon police had not charged anyone in connection with the slayings at 3113 Avenue S, but were tracking down leads, authorities said.

Police on patrol in the city's west precinct about 3:30 a.m. had received information that a robbery was in progress, Birmingham Police Sgt. Johnny Williams said. "Someone alerted them that a robbery was in progress and they responded," he said.

When police arrived they found the bodies inside the house. Birmingham Fire and Rescue personnel arrived and confirmed the men were dead.