‘There was blood everywhere’: Birmingham shooting survivor says he is ‘blessed beyond measure’

Gabriel Eslami had spent Saturday with former Clay-Chalkville High School classmates at a reunion when they decided to continue the celebration on Birmingham’s Southside.

Eslami, 24, was waiting in line with friends to get into Hush, a hookah and cigar lounge in Five Points South, when the unthinkable happened.

“We were a little far back in line,” said Eslami, who explained that he was standing near 20th Street, half a block from the salon’s main entrance.

“All of a sudden, towards the entrance, there was a huge amount of gunfire, certainly more than 100 bullets.”

Full coverage of the Five Points South mass shooting in Birmingham

“In my mind, when this started happening, I thought they were just shooting the people at the front of the line, but they were shooting toward the top of the line,” he said.

Eslami, like many, started running for cover.

“As I was running, I got shot in the left buttock,” the Trussville man said. “I fell. I didn’t even realize I got shot.”

He was able to stand up and look around, shocked.

“I look back and I just see gun smoke and bodies of people lying on the sidewalk,” he said. “My car was parked out front and there was blood all over my car, other people’s blood.”

Eslami was one of 21 people shot when someone opened fire Saturday night in the area of ​​20th Street and Magnolia Avenue, in the heart of Birmingham’s Five Points South entertainment district.

Police say the shooting was targeted – believed to be a hired assassination – and carried out by multiple gunmen, including at least one who was using a switch-action Glock.

Three men and one woman died. Among the survivors, at least three others suffered life-threatening injuries.

Eslami walked toward a restaurant on the other side of the intersection.

“I hear my name being called and it’s one of my friends who was in line with me,” he said.

That friend, JaMarlin Sewell, had been grazed on the arm and had picked Eslami up and carried him to a bench.

“There was blood everywhere,” Eslami said.

Sewell located Eslami, then went to get his car to take Eslami to UAB Hospital.

“He saved my life,” Eslami said. “He came back for me.”

Sewell took Eslami to UAB Hospital. The bullet, he said, entered his left buttock and exited the front of his body, narrowly missing a major artery.

“I was one of the first people to arrive,” Eslami said of the emergency room. “When I got there, I was screaming, ‘I’ve been shot, I’ve been shot,’ and they were unloading someone else. They gave me a wheelchair and rushed me inside.”

Within seconds, Eslami said, he was on a hospital table being treated.

“They were great. They did everything by the book,” he said. “It was probably the best experience I’ve ever had in my life. Their trauma unit is incredible.”

Eslami’s family quickly arrived at the hospital and were waiting in the lobby, like so many others.

“They told me they were just doctors coming to tell other families, ‘We’re sorry, your son or daughter didn’t make it.'”

Eslami said the whole ordeal was, and still is, traumatic.

“Loud noises have never bothered me, like cars or banging, but this morning I heard some popping noises that woke me up and I still haven’t recovered,” he said. “I’m not used to that feeling.”

“Physically it’s difficult to walk,” he said, “but by the grace of God he didn’t hit anything serious.”

The unexpectedness of it all is unsettling, he said.

“I purposely stay away from those areas, but Five Points is generally a nice neighborhood,” he said. “There are always police patrolling and I hear Hush has good security.”

“The security guards were doing their job,” he said, “but no one could have expected a car attack.”

“I never thought I would be a victim,” Eslami said. “I’m really happy that I came out of there with minimal injuries compared to other people.”

Eslami said he regularly comes to Birmingham for Top Golf or Uptown, but would be hesitant in the future.

“I don’t think I can stay downtown for long,” he said. “Even the neighborhoods you think are better than others are not safe anymore. Things have changed dramatically.”