Friend of Murdered Cheerleader Shot 10 Times Trying to Protect Her

‘I Tried Everything’: Alabama Man Recalls Harrowing Moments Before Teen’s Tragic Death

In a heartbreaking act of bravery, 21-year-old Silas McCay says he was shot 10 times trying to shield a group of teenagers—one of them being 18-year-old cheerleader Kimber Mills—during a violent outburst at a bonfire party in Alabama.

The chaos erupted just after midnight Sunday in a secluded wooded hangout in Pinson, Alabama, known locally as “The Pit.” What began as a casual bonfire ended in bloodshed when 27-year-old Steven Tyler Whitehead allegedly stormed into the gathering and opened fire.

Kimber Mills, a beloved senior at Cleveland High School, was planning to attend the University of Alabama next year to study nursing. She ran track, led cheers, and lit up every room, friends say. But her dreams were cut short after she was shot in the head and leg during the ambush.

“She had too much trauma to her brain,” her sister Ashley Mills posted on Facebook, announcing Kimber’s death Wednesday night. “She is breathing on her own with an assisted machine, but we’ve already signed her up to be an organ donor. That’s what she wanted.”

Ashley described the honor walk held for Kimber as the “biggest the hospital has ever seen.”

Silas McCay—now hailed as a hero—described the horrifying moments leading up to the shooting. Speaking from his hospital bed, he told WBRC he acted on instinct when he heard that Whitehead was making unwanted advances on Kimber.

“My ex came up to me and said he was trying to do stuff to Kimber,” McCay said. “My buddy and I confronted him. I tackled him, had him on the ground. But when my buddy pulled me off, that’s when he pulled a gun.”

Whitehead allegedly fired multiple rounds, striking McCay in the leg, hip, pelvis, stomach, finger, ribs, and thigh. Miraculously, doctors say he’s expected to recover.

“I look at her like a little sister,” McCay said. “I tried everything I could. I wish there was more I could’ve done.”

Despite his injuries, McCay managed to visit Kimber in the hospital before she passed.

“She was squeezing my hand, telling me she loved me,” he said.

Trussville Police confirmed that Mills was rushed to UAB Hospital in Birmingham. Whitehead was quickly arrested and is now facing three counts of attempted murder. His bond has been set at $180,000.

Friends and classmates are mourning the loss of a girl who brought energy, kindness, and laughter into their lives.

“She had a little spunk to her step,” Ashley said. “I’d much rather her be remembered for her sunshine personality than the tragedy.”

Family friend Rylie Cirbo told Fox News Digital, “She was a bright light. She brought joy to everyone around her.”

Steven Tyler Whitehead remains in custody. Authorities have not yet confirmed a motive beyond the confrontation at the party. His mugshot has since circulated widely, fueling outrage across social media.

The small Alabama town is reeling as friends prepare to bury a girl they believed had her whole life ahead of her.

“She just wanted to help people,” Ashley said. “That’s why she wanted to be a nurse. Even in death, she’s saving lives through organ donation.”

As McCay prepares to leave the hospital, he says Kimber’s memory will stay with him forever.

“She was brave,” he said. “And I’ll never forget her.”