The person accused of gunning down an Alabama highschool cheerleader at a bonfire occasion and capturing three others whereas one sufferer tried to defend her has been launched from jail on bond.
Steven Tyler Whitehead, charged with homicide within the dying of 18-year-old Kimber Mills and tried homicide for wounding three others, bonded out of the Jefferson County Jail Thursday after a choose set bond at $330,000. As a situation of his launch, Whitehead should put on an digital monitoring system, WBRC reported.
Mills, a senior at Cleveland Excessive Faculty, was shot in October 2025 throughout a late-night bonfire in a closely wooded space identified domestically as “The Pit,” close to Freeway 75 North and Clay-Palmerdale Street in Pinson, Alabama.
Authorities stated the gathering turned violent after Whitehead arrived shortly after midnight and have become concerned in a verbal and bodily confrontation earlier than pulling out a gun and opening fireplace.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Workplace beforehand stated Whitehead fired a number of rounds through the chaos, putting Mills and three others.
One of many victims, 21-year-old Silas McCay, later advised WBRC he was shot 10 instances — within the leg, hip, rib cage, abdomen, finger, pelvis and thigh — whereas making an attempt to guard his associates, together with Mills.
“I take a look at her like a bit of sister to me,” McCay stated from his hospital mattress. “I attempted all the things I might. I want there was extra I might’ve accomplished.”
McCay stated the violence erupted after he and one other man confronted Whitehead, who he claimed was making an attempt to speak to Mills earlier than a struggle broke out.
“My ex-girlfriend got here as much as me on the occasion and stated he was making an attempt to do stuff to this woman named Kimber,” McCay stated. “My buddy and I discovered him, and we began preventing him. I grabbed him and put him over my shoulder and had him on the bottom. My buddy pulled me off him, and that’s when he pulled his gun out and began capturing.”
Based on WBRC, McCay and one other man, Hunter McCullouch, 19, have been later charged with third-degree assault in reference to the altercation that broke out earlier than the capturing. Authorities haven’t alleged that both man fired a weapon. McCay was amongst these shot through the gunfire.
Mills was rushed to UAB Hospital in Birmingham after being shot within the head and leg, in response to Trussville Police Chief Eric Rush. Regardless of docs’ efforts, her accidents proved too extreme.
Her sister, Ashley Mills, introduced Kimber’s dying in a Fb put up following an emotional honor stroll on the hospital that drew a whole lot.
“Our candy child sister went to be with the Lord at 7:08 p.m. final night time,” Ashley Mills wrote on the time. “She had the largest gathering for an honor stroll the physician had ever seen. She was and is so liked by so many. We’ll miss you, Kimber.”
Ashley Mills beforehand stated the household made the tough resolution to put Kimber on a do-not-resuscitate order as a result of extent of her mind accidents and honor her want to be an organ donor.
“She has an excessive amount of trauma to her mind,” Ashley Mills stated. “We don’t need to damage her anymore making an attempt to deliver her again.”
Mates and family members remembered Mills as a brilliant presence with a contagious smile. She was a cheerleader and observe athlete at Cleveland Excessive Faculty and had deliberate to attend the College of Alabama in 2026, the place she hoped to develop into a nurse.
“She had a bit of spunk to her step,” her sister stated.
Regardless of being gravely wounded himself, McCay stated he visited Mills within the hospital earlier than her dying.
“She was telling me she liked me by squeezing my hand,” he stated.
Following information of Whitehead’s launch on bond, Ashley Mills shared her response on Fb, expressing worry and frustration.
“Justice for Kimber! That’s all we would like,” she wrote. “That’s simply extra nervousness for me realizing he’s out. I’ll keep house.”
The Jefferson County District Legal professional’s Workplace declined to elaborate on the bond resolution, telling Fox Information Digital it had no further data to share.
