June 22, 2025

Alabama Restaurant Worker Charged With Killing Unborn Baby of Co-Worker He Shot

By Dale Hines
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News

June 22, 2025

HOOVER Ala. Police have arrested a man in the shooting of a pregnant employee of a sports bar after her unborn child was killed by the gunfire.

Police said that the shooting happened when another employee mishandled his gun inside a bag in the restaurant’s kitchen and a bullet fired into the abdomen of the 22-year-old pregnant employee killing the five-month-old fetus of the woman.

Melvin Crumble II, 36, of Fairfield, is charged with manslaughter and second-degree assault in the Saturday shooting, police announced Monday. His bond is set at $150,000.

“It’s just a tragic situation that’s going to affect these lives forever,” said Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis. “That’s the sad part.”

“These situations are such tragedies,” Derzis said. “The bottom line is if the gun isn’t present in the restaurant, we’re not having these conversations.”

“Unintentional things take place, but these unintentional things have a disastrous effect on people’s lives,” Derzis said. “That’s the upsetting thing to me.”

Officers responded at 1:47 p.m. to Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux on Tattersall Park Drive.

Lt. Daniel Lowe said police were dispatched on a report of a shooting involving two employees at the sports bar.
Once on the scene, officers found a 22-year-old pregnant employee with a single gunshot wound to the abdomen.
The woman was taken to UAB Hospital in stable condition. She is expected to survive.

Lowe said the investigation is ongoing, but said the evidence suggests the shooting was not intentional and happened as a result of Crumble recklessly handing the gun in front of the victim.