High School Cheerleader Tragically Dies After Party Shooting; Her Legacy Will Live On Through Organ Donation
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.