{"id":614,"date":"2025-10-28T08:55:54","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T12:55:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inhishands\/?p=614"},"modified":"2026-02-04T13:11:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T18:11:30","slug":"alabama-man-shot-10-times-protecting-high-school-cheerleader-who-died-after-bonfire-shooting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inhishands\/2025\/10\/alabama-man-shot-10-times-protecting-high-school-cheerleader-who-died-after-bonfire-shooting\/","title":{"rendered":"Alabama Man Shot 10 Times Protecting High School Cheerleader Who Died After Bonfire Shooting"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cullman_Daily_Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A young Alabama man is being hailed as a hero after he was shot ten times while trying to protect his friends during a deadly shooting that claimed the life of high school cheerleader Kimber Mills.<\/p>\n

Silas McCay, 21, said he was shot in the leg, hip, rib cage, stomach, finger, pelvis, and thigh after confronting the gunman who opened fire during a bonfire in a wooded area known as \u201cThe Pit\u201d in Pinson, Alabama.<\/p>\n

\u201cI look at her like a little sister to me,\u201d McCay told WBRC<\/em>. \u201cI tried everything I could. I wish there was more I could\u2019ve done.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to McCay, the suspect, 27-year-old Steven Tyler Whitehead, had been harassing Kimber before the violence broke out. \u201cMy ex-girlfriend came up to me at the party and said he was trying to do stuff to this girl named Kimber,\u201d McCay said. \u201cMy buddy and I found him, and we started fighting him. I grabbed him and put him over my shoulder and had him on the ground. My buddy pulled me off him, and that\u2019s when he pulled his gun out and started shooting.\u201d<\/p>\n

McCay said he was struck ten times but survived. Kimber, however, was critically wounded \u2014 shot in the head and leg \u2014 and rushed to UAB Hospital in Birmingham. The Jefferson County Sheriff\u2019s Office confirmed that Whitehead was arrested and charged with three counts of attempted murder. He is being held on a $180,000 bond.<\/p>\n

Kimber\u2019s sister, Ashley Mills, said the 18-year-old was \u201ccaught in the crossfire.\u201d In a heartbreaking Facebook post, Ashley shared that Kimber passed away on October 21st, surrounded by family and friends. \u201cOur sweet baby sister went to be with the Lord at 7:08 p.m. last night! She was and is so loved by so many. We will miss you, Kimber!\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n

A senior at Cleveland High School, Kimber was known for her bright smile and compassionate heart. She was a member of the cheerleading squad and track team and had dreams of becoming a nurse. \u201cShe had a little spunk to her step,\u201d Ashley said. \u201cShe has too much trauma to her brain,\u201d she added, explaining that Kimber\u2019s injuries were too severe for surgery. \u201cWe\u2019ve already got it set up for her to be an organ donor because that\u2019s what she wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her cousin, Morgan Kaye Metz, wrote on Facebook that Kimber\u2019s final act reflected her generous heart: \u201cShe is giving the greatest gift of all today \u2014 life. She was a blessing and now she gets to bless others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Classmate Rylie Cirbo told Fox News Digital<\/em> that Kimber\u2019s legacy will live on through her joyful spirit. \u201cI\u2019d much rather her be known for her sunshine personality and big smile rather than the tragedy,\u201d she said. \u201cShe seemed like a very bright light in so many lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kimber had planned to attend the University of Alabama in 2026 and pursue a career in nursing. Though her time on earth was cut short, her faith, kindness, and courage continue to inspire those who knew her.<\/p>\n

As the community mourns, many are finding comfort in knowing that Kimber\u2019s light still shines through the lives she\u2019s saved and the hearts she\u2019s touched. Keep Kimber\u2019s family, her friends, and those injured in the deadly bonfire shooting in prayer \u2014 asking God to bring healing, comfort, and peace. May the light of Christ surround all who are mourning, and may His love remind them that even in tragedy, hope endures.<\/p>\n

UPDATE:\u00a0<\/em>Steven Tyler Whitehead, charged with murder in the death of 18-year-old Kimber Mills and attempted murder for wounding three others, was bonded out of the Jefferson County Jail on January 29, 2026, after a judge set bond at $330,000.<\/span>\u00a0As a condition of his release, Whitehead must wear an electronic monitoring device.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A young Alabama man is being hailed as a hero after he was shot ten times while trying to protect his friends during a deadly shooting that claimed the life of high school cheerleader Kimber Mills. Silas McCay, 21, said he was shot in the leg, hip, rib cage, stomach, finger, pelvis, and thigh after…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":462,"featured_media":635,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nAlabama Man Shot 10 Times Protecting High School Cheerleader Who Died After Bonfire Shooting<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Silas McCay was shot multiple times protecting Alabama cheerleader Kimber Mills, who died after a bonfire shooting.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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