ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, SportsChief Roper speaks for first time since arrests of suspects

For the first time since the arrests of three suspects in the massacre in Ensley Highlands, Birmingham police chief A.C. Roper puts to rest the rumor the killings were gang-related.

Roper spoke exclusively Friday afternoon with abc3340. He said "There is no evidence of any sort of gang related activity at all in this." He went on to say, "we do have a group that was friends that were involved in this and then we have the victims that were at home that were also friends. But they were acquainted with each other, so this is no case where this is a random crime, but one that just occurred and now we are picking up the pieces."

Roper says he believes they have made the arrests of all involved, but this is a fluid investigation. The chief encourages anyone who knows anything about the crime to come forward.

All five of the victims will be laid to rest on Saturday.