In the summer of 2022, the life of a vibrant 29-year-old mother was tragically cut short in Greenwood, South Carolina. Keyiona Watrice Hill, a Black female, was inside the Uptown Grill on the evening of Friday, July 8, 2022, when she was struck by gunfire. The shooting was a drive-by, and authorities later confirmed that Hill was not the intended target of the violence that claimed her life.
She was found inside the restaurant with at least one gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at Self Regional Healthcare.
Remembered for her big smile and willingness to help others, Keyiona was a beloved mother to her young son. She was a 2011 graduate of McCormick High School and had furthered her education at Piedmont Technical College, where she earned a degree in Practical Nursing in 2019. She was working as an LPN at Express Medical Care in Greenwood, a job where she found joy in helping to save lives. Her family and friends described her as the life of the party, someone who loved hard and was loved by many.
The investigation into her senseless death led to the arrest of Christopher Longshore. It was revealed that Longshore had a history with the establishment where the shooting occurred. He had been previously arrested for bringing a firearm into the Uptown Grill and had been banned from the premises. In January 2025, a jury found Christopher Longshore guilty of the murder of Keyiona Watrice Hill and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. For his role in the fatal shooting, he was sentenced to serve 40 years in prison, bringing a measure of justice to a family and community still mourning the loss of a cherished loved one.
