She was a sparkling soul who lit up every room she entered. Now, her bright future and dreams have been cut short by a senseless act of violence.
An Alabama community is mourning the loss of 18-year-old high school cheerleader Kimber Mills, who was fatally wounded during a shooting at a party in Pinson. Her family honored her wish by donating her organs, giving life to others even in death.
Night of Horror: Gunfire Erupts After Party Fight
In the early hours of Sunday, October 19, 2025, deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of multiple people shot at the 7900 block of Highway 75 North. They found three victims — a 21-year-old man, an 18-year-old man, and an 18-year-old woman — suffering from gunshot wounds.
Emergency crews transported them to nearby hospitals, while a fourth victim, a 20-year-old woman, was taken to another hospital by a private vehicle.
Investigators said a verbal and physical altercation had escalated into gunfire. The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Steven Tyler Whitehead, was arrested and charged with murder. He remains in the Jefferson County Jail without bond as authorities prepare additional charges.
Kimber Wasn’t the Target – But She Paid the Ultimate Price
According to Kimber’s sister, Ashley, the suspect was not known to those at the gathering. He reportedly approached one of Kimber’s friends, attempting to engage her and offering drinks. When the girl’s boyfriend intervened, a fight broke out, leading to shots being fired. Kimber, who was nearby, was struck in the head and leg during the chaos.
A friend rushed her to the hospital, stopping along Gadsden Highway when they spotted a Trussville police officer for help. Officers and firefighters provided immediate medical assistance before she was taken to UAB Hospital in Birmingham.
Kimber’s family stayed by her bedside as doctors worked to save her. Despite her strength, her injuries were too severe to survive. “She has too much trauma to her brain. She is breathing on her own with an assisted breathing machine. There is no surgery that would give her a life worth living,” Ashley said.
Honor Walk for a Fallen Hero: ‘She Loved Everyone’
Doctors informed the family that even if Kimber survived, she would remain dependent on breathing and feeding tubes for the rest of her life. Her loved ones, therefore, chose to allow her body to take its natural course.
“We do have her on a DNR because we don’t want to hurt her anymore trying to bring her back. We’ve already got it set up for her to be an organ donor because that’s what she wanted,” Ashley noted.
On Tuesday evening, October 21, UAB Hospital’s hallways filled with hundreds of people who came to pay their final respects as Kimber was given an honor walk before organ donation surgery.
Ashley shared emotional footage showing long lines of family, friends, and supporters, many with tears in their eyes, standing silently as her hospital bed passed by.
She wrote, “Our sweet baby sister went to be with the lord at 7:08pm last night! She has had the biggest gathering for honor walk the doc has ever seen! She was and is so loved by so many. We will miss you Kimber!”
Ashley shared that Kimber’s heart was donated to a seven-year-old boy in Ohio, and her lungs were given to a woman in New York.
“We feel grateful she was able to live on, she loved everyone. We are so grateful that she had a huge impact on peoples lives,” Ashley noted. Before her passing, the halls of UAB Hospital were filled with more than 200 people who gathered to support Kimber and her family.
Her mother stayed by her side through the night, while relatives and friends took turns visiting during the day to avoid triggering seizures that the constant activity sometimes caused.
A Town in Mourning: ‘It Should Be the Other Way Around’
Kimber’s family remained deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support from the community, saying that Kimber cherished everyone who had come to be with her.
Students of Cleveland High met in front of the school to pray together, some holding hands and crying as they processed the tragedy. School officials brought in extra counselors to help students cope.
A community gathering was also held at the high school football stadium, with attendees encouraged to wear pink, Kimber’s favorite color, in her honor. A devastated Ashley spoke at the vigil, “We shouldn’t be burying our little sister. It should be the other way around. It’s supposed to go from oldest to youngest not youngest first.”
She Had So Many Dreams – And Now They’re Gone
A senior at Cleveland High School, she was a member of the cheerleading team and track program and had planned to attend the University of Alabama to study nursing.
Kimber’s sister described her as kind and energetic, with a spark that made her stand out both on and off the cheer squad. “She wanted to do things that I wanted to that I wasn’t able to, like be a nurse, help people and that’s exactly what she was trying to do that night… just help,” shared Ashley.
Survivors Still Healing Speak Out
The loss of Kimber has deeply shaken her school and hometown, but her spirit continues to inspire those she left behind. Silas McCay, 21, continues to recover from his injuries after being shot ten times during the same incident that claimed Kimber’s life, his close friend.
His brother, Shane McCay, shared that Silas was able to walk behind Kimber during her honor walk at UAB Hospital. “It was emotional. As soon as she turned that corner, the whole hallway crying. You can tell she was really loved by the whole community,” said Shane.
Despite the severity of his injuries, Silas is making remarkable progress and is already up and walking as he continues his recovery.
His mother, Dena McCay, said she believes his survival is nothing short of a miracle and that greater plans from God must await him after enduring such an ordeal.
Another attendee, Michael Helms, who witnessed the tragic shooting, said he could not stay away from the hospital ceremony. Having seen the violence firsthand, he found it painful yet comforting to see Kimber one last time, finding peace in knowing she was no longer suffering.
He spoke of her organ donation as a powerful act of love, saying her heart and spirit would continue to live on through others. Through Kimber’s final act of generosity, her life and kindness stand out.
A GoFundMe campaign was created to support the Mills family, and by the time of publication, it had raised $26,442 of its $50,000 goal.
