Alexander City is in shock after a double homicide on Monday left two young men dead and the community searching for answers. What should have been a regular afternoon turned into a scene of sudden, heartbreaking violence that has shaken families and neighbors alike.
Police were called just after 1 p.m. to the corner of Third Street and Tenth Avenue after someone reported gunshots in the area. When officers arrived, they found a silver Hyundai Elantra parked in the intersection with two men inside suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victims, identified as 19‑year‑old Fitzgerald Wilson and 20‑year‑old Rafiel Riggins, were already lifeless when first responders reached them.
Investigators say the bullets came from outside the vehicle, suggesting the men were shot while still inside their car. The simplicity of their afternoon turning into tragedy has left friends and family struggling to make sense of it all. Both Wilson and Riggins were from Alexander City, and their deaths have left a hole in the community that won’t soon be filled.
In the days since, police and Crime Stoppers have appealed to the public for help. A $2,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest in the case. Authorities say they are following leads, but as of now no arrests have been made and no suspects publicly identified.
For people who knew them, the memories of Wilson and Riggins are of young men with their whole lives ahead of them. Family members describe them as easy‑going and full of plans for the future, the kind of people whose loss is felt deeply by all who knew them. This tragic act of violence has reminded many that life can change in an instant.
The community has rallied around the families, offering support and holding vigils to honor the lives lost. Neighbors who drive by the scene now see flowers and handwritten messages left in memory of two young lives cut short. The pain is fresh, and the questions of “why?” and “who?” linger in the air.
Police continue to investigate the shooting and urge anyone with information to come forward to Crime Stoppers. As the city mourns, the hope is that someone will step forward to help bring justice for Fitzgerald Wilson and Rafiel Riggins.
