In the early hours of a summer night in Phenix City, Alabama, the joyous sounds of a party were tragically silenced by gunfire. On June 9, 2020, 19-year-old Zion Quondarius Highsmith, a Black male, was fatally shot in what police have described as a drive-by shooting. The incident occurred just after midnight in the 200 block of 16th Avenue South, where a gathering was taking place.
According to reports from the Phenix City Police Department, a small, light-colored, four-door sedan
approached the residence and an occupant, or occupants, opened fire. Highsmith, who was standing outside near the street, was struck multiple times by the hail of bullets. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they discovered him lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds. He was quickly transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital for medical attention, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries.
In the wake of the shooting, the Phenix City Police Department launched a homicide investigation into the death of Zion Highsmith. Authorities have reached out to the public for assistance, urging anyone with information about the shooting or the vehicle involved to come forward. Despite their appeals and ongoing investigation, the case has grown cold.
To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Zion Highsmith, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The case remains an unsolved homicide, leaving a family to grieve and a community searching for answers. The Phenix City Police Department continues to encourage anyone with information that could lead to a breakthrough in the case to contact them, in the hopes of bringing justice to Zion and closure to his loved ones.
