Destiny Danielle Washington, a 20-year-old Black woman from Trussville, Alabama, was a bright and beloved nursing student with a promising future. A 2018 graduate of Clay-Chalkville High School, where she played both volleyball and basketball, she was remembered by her principal for her infectious smile that could "brighten the room." Her sister, Brandee Crenshaw, called her a "smart, beautiful Black queen" who loved her family deeply.
Destiny was enrolled in a dual nursing program between the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and Lawson State Community College and was on track to become a registered nurse in May 2021, with plans to become a traveling nurse.
On the evening of Thursday, December 17, 2020, Destiny’s life was cut short. She and her boyfriend went to the UAB campus to sell a pair of headphones. They met the potential buyer around 9:40 p.m. in the parking lot of the Hill Student Center on University Boulevard. According to her family, the transaction soured when Destiny's boyfriend suspected the buyer was using counterfeit money.
As Destiny and her boyfriend attempted to back out of the sale and leave, someone opened fire on their vehicle. Destiny, who was sitting in the car, was struck by the gunfire. Her boyfriend drove her to Children's Hospital in their private vehicle, but her injuries were fatal. She was pronounced deceased by hospital staff at 10:10 p.m. The sudden violence devastated her family and the UAB community, who mourned the loss of a young woman dedicated to helping others.
In the days following the shooting, the Birmingham Police Department investigated the homicide. A suspect, 22-year-old Carlos Stephens of Alabaster, turned himself in to authorities that Saturday. He was arrested and charged with capital murder for the death of Destiny Washington. As of his arrest in December 2020, Stephens was being held in the Jefferson County Jail without bond.
