A 27-year-old man is facing a murder charge following a violent shooting at a teenage gathering in eastern Jefferson County that left a high school cheerleader fighting for her life. The incident occurred early Sunday morning in a remote wooded area locally known as The Pit, near the intersection of Alabama 75 and Clay-Palmerdale Road.
According to preliminary information provided to law enforcement, a physical altercation broke out over a girl, which escalated when gunfire erupted. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that deputies were dispatched to the scene at 12:24 a.m. Upon arrival, they discovered three gunshot victims—two men, aged 21 and 18, and an 18-year-old woman.
A fourth victim, identified through social media as Kimber Mills, a senior and cheerleader at Cleveland High School, was transported from the scene separately. A friend of the gravely injured teen was attempting to drive her to a hospital for emergency treatment, per AL.com.
Their vehicle encountered a Trussville police officer on Gadsden Highway at approximately 12:45 a.m., and they immediately stopped to seek help. Trussville Police Chief Eric Rush detailed the officer’s swift response. Police called for medics and performed CPR on her there, and Trussville firefighters then took her to UAB Hospital, Rush said.
He further noted that the victim had also sustained a gunshot wound to the leg. Rush said she was also shot in the leg, and officers put a tourniquet on that wound. Emergency services from Palmerdale Fire and Rescue, Center Point Fire and Rescue, and Trussville Fire and Rescue all responded to the chaotic scene, transporting the other victims to area hospitals for treatment.
While authorities have not officially released the name of the deceased, Kimber Mills was reported as the most seriously injured victim and was listed in critical condition. The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Steven Tyler Whitehead of Brookwood, was taken into custody and booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 11:40 a.m. on Sunday. He is charged with murder and is being held without bond.
The community has rallied around the injured cheerleader, with the Cleveland Panther Football organization posting a public plea for support. “We’re asking our community to come together in prayer for Kimber and her family,” Cleveland Panther Football posted on Facebook.
The investigation remains active as sheriff’s officials have promised to release further information as it becomes available. The senior class at the school started a GoFundMe to raise money for her and her family.