An 18-year-old high-school cheerleader from Pinson, Alabama, is dead after being shot at an off-campus bonfire party early Sunday morning. Four people were wounded when a 27-year-old man opened fire following a confrontation at the wooded gathering spot known locally as “The Pit.”
The victim, a senior track athlete with aspirations of a nursing career, was grazed in the leg and struck in the head. Medical staff determined the brain trauma was too severe for surgical rescue, and the family elected to remove life support. They have confirmed she will become an organ donor. The suspect has been arrested on murder charges and is being held without bond.
The high-school community is in mourning, and an online fundraiser has been established to support the family and injured friends.