On the evening of April 18, 2021, in Bessemer, Alabama, a sense of loss befell a local family. Deterrious Keith Bernard Steele, a 21-year-old Black male, was found fatally wounded by gunfire at Enoch Brown Park. The call reporting the shooting came in to the Bessemer Police Department around 7:45 p.m., and upon their arrival at the park located on the 2900 block of Berkeley Avenue, they discovered Steele suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before 10 p.m.
The news of his violent death sent ripples of grief through his family and the wider community. His mother, Latasha Bonner, expressed her profound sorrow, stating that a part of her had been taken that she could never get back. She described her son as a person who was always smiling and talking, someone who did not start trouble with anyone and was not involved in gangs. His family remembered him as a loving son, brother, grandson, uncle, nephew, and friend. A graveside service to honor his memory was held on April 24, 2021, at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Bessemer.
The Bessemer Police Department launched a homicide investigation into the death of Deterrious Keith Bernard Steele. However, as of the latest available reports, no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The case remains an open and ongoing investigation, leaving his family and community still searching for answers and justice for a life they feel was cut short senselessly. Steele would have celebrated his 22nd birthday just a month after he was killed.
