Family and friends mourn 42-year-old father killed outside Birmingham bar where he worked

A 42-year-old father is remembered who was killed when gunshots broke out outside a Birmingham bar for his love for others and for the simple life.

Shaun Rhudy died early Friday morning while working at Marty’s PM in the southern part of town.

Although not originally from Alabama, Rhudy has spent most of his life in the Birmingham area. He graduated from Auburn University with an engineering degree, graduated from Hoover High School, and attended St. Paul’s School downtown from Kindergarten to Grade 8.

“He illustrated the things he learned at this school (St. Paul’s) which was an appreciation for all the people around him,” said his grieving mother, Pat Rhudy. “He was generally easy going, didn’t judge and loved everyone. “

The shooting happened, police said, when Alonzo Johnson II, 21, of Greensboro, was refused entry to the facility by management due to a previous incident.

Johnson, police said, was then involved in a scuffle in the parking lot across the street, and gunfire ensued.

Rhudy, who worked at Marty’s front door, and another man were shot. Both were taken to UAB Hospital where Rhudy was pronounced dead at 7.41am.

The second victim, whose identity has not been released, was seriously injured.

Johnson fled when a vehicle picked him up. The police then issued an alert for the suspects’ vehicle.

Officers from the West District were then dispatched on I-59 southbound just after exiting Arkadelphia Road over a report of a vehicle fire. The officers noticed that the burning vehicle matched the description of the vehicle in the watch bulletin and took the two suspects into police custody.

The fire, investigators said, was just a coincidence.

After police questioned the suspects, detectives obtained arrest warrants for first-degree murder and assault on Johnson and two counts of obstructing prosecution against Terrill Huey Jr., a 27-year-old Moundville resident.

Those close to Rhudy were shocked that he died in a violent crime, and police said he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“It was just Shaun,” his longtime friend Chris Powell said. “He was always fun.”

“He was a very, very smart guy,” said Powell. “He liked people. He liked to work on stuff. He liked to understand things.

Although Rhudy worked as an engineer after college, he left this field a long time ago and chose to do what made him happy, working in Southside at various restaurants over the years.

“He never cared too much about money. I never wanted to be rich. He just loved living his life, ” Powell said. “It was the life he loved.”

“He just lived his life and he didn’t care about a thing,” he said. “I don’t think he owes anyone a dime except maybe the power company. He was not a materialist. He had a lot of friends.

Rhudy was very involved in the life of her 9 year old son, Elias, who lived in Gadsden. He had just enrolled her in Catholic school, his mother said.

Pat Rhudy has said her son’s death was insane.

“If anyone wants to know what to do, send money to the candidates who are in favor of gun control and then vote for them,” she said. “This is the only way to stop it. “

“A 21-year-old kid who was drunk and crazy and didn’t want to kill anyone was shooting a gun and my son found himself in front of the bullets,” Pat Rhudy said. “And two moms’ Christmas is ruined, because he’s going to go to jail.”

“That’s stupid. 21-year-olds shouldn’t have guns because they’re not old or mature enough to understand the ramifications of their actions,” she said. If you can charge a 21-year-old for car insurance more because they’re immature and more likely to do something reckless, then you can certainly keep the guns out of their hands. ”

“If there’s anything good that’s going to come out of this, it’s to take the guns off the streets,” she said, “because it will be someone else’s child. next time, and someone else will be next time. “

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