Alabama Hospital Shooting: 19-Year-Old Husband Kills Wife After Childbirth
“What should have been a night of celebration turned into an unimaginable tragedy inside a hospital maternity ward in Alabama, where a 19-year-old man allegedly shot his 24-year-old wife moments after she delivered their first child — before taking his own life. The shocking incident has left a newborn without parents and raised urgent questions about hospital security protocols across the state.”
A 24-year-old woman was fatally shot by her husband inside a hospital in Homewood on Sunday night, in what authorities have described as an apparent “murder-suicide.”
The victim, identified as Precious Johnson, had just given birth to the couple’s first child at the Women’s Center of Brookwood Hospital when she was shot multiple times, according to reports by WVTM 13, citing the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.
Police say the suspect, 19-year-old Kynath Terry Jr., later turned the gun on himself.
In a statement released Monday, March 2, 2026, the Homewood Police Department confirmed officers responded to reports of gunfire at approximately 9:25 p.m. Upon arrival, they discovered both a male and female suffering from gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities confirmed that Johnson was a patient at the hospital and emphasized that no other individuals were injured during the incident.
“Preliminary investigation by Homewood Police leads investigators to believe that the incident is an apparent murder-suicide and is domestic in nature,” the department said in its statement.
MARITAL STRAIN ALLEGED
Speaking to WVTM 13, Terry’s mother disclosed that the couple had been experiencing marital difficulties. She claimed Johnson had requested that Terry’s family not be present at the hospital during the birth of the child.
She also noted that her son had recently completed training with the Army National Guard.
HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION REACTS
The president of the Alabama Hospital Association described the incident as unprecedented.
“I think it’s sad, but this was an isolated incident,” said Don Williamson Howard (as reported by WVTM). “In my 30 years of working at the hospital association and representing our hospitals in the state, this is the first time something like this has occurred.”
Howard added that hospitals typically conduct an “after-action report” following such events to evaluate security measures and determine what improvements may be necessary.
“It’s not uncommon for the hospital association to pull together all of our hospitals to share information and best practices — what worked, what didn’t work, and what might need to be revisited,” he explained.
Hospital officials declined to comment on camera regarding existing security measures. Howard further stated that there are currently no statewide security mandates for hospitals in Alabama.
Mayor Speaks as Investigation Continues
Jennifer Andress, Mayor of Homewood, confirmed that the investigation remains active.
“Last night, our police department responded to a tragic shooting at Brookwood Hospital. Our officers acted quickly to secure the scene and ensure there was no ongoing threat to the public,” Andress said in a statement.
“This remains an active investigation, and we are directing all case-specific questions to the Police Department’s Public Information Officer. Our thoughts are with the victim, her family, the hospital staff, and everyone impacted. We are working closely with hospital leadership and will provide updates as appropriate.”
Authorities have not released further details as of press time.
