Alabama mass shooting victims may have been targeted in murder-for-hire plot, police say

Some of the four people killed in a deadly Alabama shooting had "extensive criminal" histories and might have been killed in a targeted murder-for-hire hit, police said Monday.

Gunfire erupted Saturday night as a "large group of people” were gathered outside the Hush Lounge in Birmingham, Alabama’s second largest city, officials there said.

Multiple shooters pulled up in a vehicle, got out and opened fire before they got back inside the vehicle and fled, authorities said.

There's an early theory of the case that these shooters might have been paid to kill certain individuals.

"Some of the individuals that were killed have extensive criminal histories," Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond told reporters. "And because of that, there’s often times motivation from others and there’s people who are willing to pay to have them killed. And so that’s that’s part of it."

The four killed were among 21 shot.

Many of those shot were "collateral damage" in the attack on specific targets, Thurmond added.

Three of the four victims are all Alabama residents and identified as Anitra Holloman, 21, of Bessemer; Tahj Booker, 27, of Birmingham; and Carlos McCain, 27, also of Birmingham. The fourth man killed was not immediately identified.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.