BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA – Hundreds of students and loved ones lined the hallways of an Alabama hospital to honor 18-year-old Kimber Mills as she was taken into surgery to become an organ donor. The Cleveland High School cheerleader was shot in the head and leg at a party in Pinson, a shooting her sister said left her caught in the crossfire. Mills later died, and 27-year-old Steven Tyler Whitehead has been charged in the case.
Cheerleader Shot at Wooded Party Site Known as The Pit in Pinson
Mills was shot early on a Sunday at a gathering in a heavily wooded area of Pinson known as The Pit, according to AL.com. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said Whitehead showed up at around 12:24 a.m. The gathering was described in reports as a high school bonfire.
Her sister, Ashley Mills, said no one at the party knew Whitehead and that he had tried talking to one of Kimber’s friends before a fight broke out. Trussville Police Chief Eric Rush said Mills was taken to UAB Hospital in Birmingham.
Hundreds Gather for Honor Walk Before Organ Donation Surgery
Doctors determined her brain injuries were too severe, her sister said. An honor walk was held on a Tuesday afternoon, with classmates, friends, and family lining the hospital hallway as she was wheeled to surgery.
Ashley Mills said it was the biggest honor walk gathering the doctor had ever seen. Honor walks are held to recognize patients who choose to give the gift of life through organ donation. Video of the hallway filled with students has since spread widely online.
Kimber Mills Planned to Attend University of Alabama to Become a Nurse
Mills was a senior at Cleveland High School, where she cheered and ran track. She planned to attend the University of Alabama with hopes of becoming a nurse. She was set to graduate with her senior class.
Her sister announced her passing, saying Kimber was deeply loved by so many and would be missed. Friends have remembered her for her energy and the spunk in her step. Her sister said she died at 7:08 on a Wednesday night.
Steven Tyler Whitehead Faces Charges in Deadly Shooting
Whitehead was initially charged with three counts of attempted murder and held on a $180,000 bond. According to the post sharing the honor walk video, he now also faces a murder charge in Mills’ death.
Investigators have not publicly detailed what led to the gunfire. Whitehead is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. The three attempted murder counts indicate others were also in the line of fire. The community continues to mourn a young life lost far too soon.
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