On the night of September 19, 2014, in Phenix City, Alabama, 17-year-old Tyrelle Nikieth Kynard, an African American male, was fatally shot following a party at the Central Activity Center. The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m., and he was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after midnight from a gunshot wound to the head. Kynard, known affectionately as 'Bally Rell,' was a senior at Central High School and an active member of his community and the Liberty Hill Baptist Church.
In the
days following the shooting, authorities arrested three teenagers in connection with the death of Tyrelle Kynard. Martavious Miles, who was 17 years old at the time, was taken into custody and charged with murder. Two other teens, 16-year-old Carey Johnson and 16-year-old Joseph Thorpe, were also arrested and faced charges of attempted murder. Investigators stated that Johnson and Thorpe had recklessly fired weapons into a large crowd after the party, creating a significant risk of injury or death.
All three suspects were to be charged as adults in the case. During bond hearings, Martavious Miles was granted a $1 million bond, while Carey Johnson and Joseph Thorpe each received a bond of $500,000. At the time of these legal proceedings, the motive for the shooting remained under investigation, and authorities had not identified any additional suspects in the case that tragically cut short the life of the high school senior.
