Man Among Four Killed in Birmingham Was Cousin to Victims of Previous Quadruple Homicide: ‘They Took a Good Spirit’

Family members of two men killed five months ago in a quadruple homicide in Birmingham’s Smithfield community are still grappling with their loss, and now they face another tragedy.

They’ve lost another loved one to gun violence in yet another mass shooting in Birmingham.

Stevie Andre McGhee, 39, was one of four people shot and killed Saturday at a birthday party, an attack that also left 10 others wounded.

McGhee’s first cousins, raised as his brothers, were Terrell Edwards, 38, and Kevin McGhee, 38, both victims of the February 16 quadruple homicide in Smithfield.

In a painful twist, the gathering after Edwards and Kevin McGhee’s funeral was held at the same venue where Stevie was killed Saturday night.

“We are broken. We are in shock,’’ said cousin Kawana Pollnitz. “We are speechless. We don’t know which way to go.”

“We’re still under the bus from Kevin and Terrell, and it’s like they just keep rolling over our heads, our hearts, our minds,’’ she said.

The February mass shooting occurred around 2:45 p.m. on a Friday. Talton “TJ” Tait, 36, and Cortez Ray, 32, were also killed.

Edwards, a city employee, had just clocked out 15 minutes before the deadly shooting. Kevin McGhee picked him up, and soon after, someone opened fire.

Edwards and Ray, one of whom was getting a car wash, fell near the cars. Tait, a father of four, ran a short distance before collapsing near a neighbor’s house. All three were pronounced dead at the scene. Kevin McGhee was taken to UAB Hospital, where he died shortly after.

One suspect has been charged.

Similarly, family members believe Stevie McGhee had just arrived at the birthday party Saturday night at the North Birmingham Social Club when he was shot.

Birmingham police Deputy Chief Rodarius Mauldin said they quickly received calls about multiple shots fired. Upon arrival, officers issued a max-emergency call for backup due to the large crowd. The scene was chaotic.

McGhee was found shot outside the venue and was pronounced dead at 11:42 p.m. Angela Weatherspoon, 56, and Markeisha Gettings, 42, were found shot inside and also pronounced dead at the same time. The party honoree was Weatherspoon’s son.

Multiple victims began arriving at area hospitals with gunshot wounds, some transported by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service and others by private vehicle. Police initially reported nine wounded but later updated the number to 10. Lerandus Anderson, 24, was pronounced dead at the hospital at 11:52 p.m.

“It’s heart-wrenching,’’ said McGhee’s sister, Stenisha McGhee. “For the same thing to happen again, it’s definitely tragic.”

“I took that hard and I’m taking this even harder,’’ she said, “But I have to be strong for my mother.”

McGhee is remembered for his kind heart and willingness to help others.

“Stevie was everything,’’ Pollnitz said. “He was going to be there for everyone and try to keep the family together.”

Pollnitz described how McGhee would drive across town just to take out someone’s garbage. He was devastated by the deaths of his cousins, whom he considered brothers, and struggled to find his way without them.

McGhee’s brother, Stedarrius McGhee, was killed in a 2013 motorcycle crash in Birmingham’s Pratt City, leaving behind an infant daughter. Stevie and Stenisha have been helping to raise her since.

“He was a great dad to her,’’ Pollnitz said. “He was everything to her.”

McGhee was a talented woodworker and cabinet maker.

“He was the best,’’ Pollnitz said. “With wood, he was the best.”

The family, trying to create good memories after Kevin and Terrell’s deaths, gathered for the Fourth of July at Spring Valley Beach in Blountsville, enjoying a great day together.

Stevie, known for his love of nice clothes, brought several changes of outfits and shoes, much to the amusement of his family.

“He was a fantastic dresser,’’ his sister said. “Always smiling and joking, he was the life of the party.”

McGhee’s commitment to helping others was a hallmark of his character.

“You could not find one person that wouldn’t say, ‘He was always there for me. He always showed up for me,’’’ Pollnitz said. “They took a good spirit. Nobody could grasp what we’re going through unless they walked in our shoes.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.