A tragic bonfire party ended in gunfire, and now the man accused of killing a beloved Alabama cheerleader is fighting to have the charges thrown out—claiming he was only defending himself.
Steven Tyler Whitehead, 28, is currently out on bond while facing murder and attempted murder charges in the death of 18-year-old Kimber Mills. The shooting happened last October at a local hangout known as “The Pit,” just outside Birmingham, according to court records.
Authorities allege Whitehead opened fire into a crowd of 40 to 50 people after a verbal argument. Mills, a senior at Cleveland High School who had plans to attend the University of Alabama, was struck in the head and later died. Three others were also shot but survived.
Survivor Silas McCay, who was 21 at the time, told local media that a fight broke out before the shooting. McCay said he and a friend confronted Whitehead after learning he had allegedly been bothering Mills. According to McCay, during the struggle, Whitehead pulled out a gun and started firing.
Whitehead reportedly claims he acted in self-defense.
His legal team is now pushing for a pre-trial immunity hearing, currently set for December 7. Under Alabama law, a judge could decide that Whitehead’s use of deadly force was justified, which would lead to all charges being dropped—and would also block Mills’ family from filing a civil suit.
Loved ones remember Mills as a “bubbly” cheerleader who dreamed of becoming a nurse. Her sister Ashley described her as someone who could make friends anywhere and had a spark that lit up every room. After being taken off life support, Mills’ organs were donated.
With the immunity hearing still months away, one big question remains—will the legal system see this as self-defense or something far more complicated?
