On a Sunday evening in Sylacauga, Alabama, the sound of gunfire shattered the peace, leading to the untimely death of 48-year-old Christopher Cornell Keith of Childersburg. The incident, which unfolded on May 11, 2025, also left another man, 29-year-old Sylavonta Dvon Mays, with gunshot wounds.
Reports from the Sylacauga Police Department indicate that at approximately 4:50 p.m., Talladega County E-911 began receiving calls about shots being fired in the vicinity of E 5th St.
A couple of minutes later, another call came in, this time reporting a vehicle had been shot into on Curran St. When officers arrived at the intersection of N Louisville Ave. and E 5th St., they discovered evidence of a shooting.
Both Keith and Mays were found inside a vehicle on Curran St. suffering from gunshot wounds. They were initially transported to Coosa Valley Medical Center for treatment. Due to the severity of his injuries, Keith was subsequently transferred to UAB Hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries the following day, on Monday, May 12, 2025. Mays was treated for his injuries and later released.
Investigators at the scene recovered more than 20 shell casings, suggesting the use of both a pistol and a rifle in the attack. The evidence led police to believe that the vehicle carrying Keith and Mays was repeatedly fired upon as it traveled along E 5th St. The Sylacauga Police Department, along with the Talladega County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, launched a homicide investigation into the fatal shooting.
In the days following the incident, law enforcement officials appealed to the public for assistance in identifying any suspects involved in the shooting. As of the available online reports, no arrests have been publicly announced in connection with the death of Christopher Cornell Keith, and no suspects have been formally named. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to seek information from the community to bring those responsible to justice.
