The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is investigating an early morning shooting at a bingo hall off Chalkville Road.
The shooting was reported at 5 a.m. Monday. Deputies responded and found one person shot.
A male employee of the bingo hall was taken to UAB Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators determined the man was involved in an argument with the bingo hall's security guard before the shooting. They believe the security guard shot the victim.
Deputies said the security guard was cooperative, and he was not arrested. No charges have been filed.
Bingo halls have established operations across Jefferson County. In a statement from 2019, Sheriff Mark Pettway said it was not worth the time, effort and money thrown into confiscating machines and tracking down misdemeanor offenders when he had serious violent crime to address. However, in 2023, he agreed to shut down any bingo hall that did not have a business license.
Attorney General Steve Marshall said it was frustrating that any law enforcement official would ignore crime. Marshall also said illegal operations are often the "ground zero" for more serious crimes, including money laundering and drug activity.
The Jefferson County Commission agreed not to renew business licenses for bingo halls after the Attorney General investigated several operations. It is unclear if the Chalkville location had a valid business license.
Commissioner Joe Knight told 1819 News that the commission is not renewing business licenses for bingo halls, but there is only a small fine for operating without a business license. He said the location had been known to law enforcement. He said it has opened and closed several times.
"We are talking to the legislators to get it to where we can do something," Knight said. "We are trying to put a team in place where we can do that. We're trying everything we can and have been for a while."
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