On the night of November 6, 2022, 21-year-old Kendall Jarod Thornton Jr. was driving a blue Kia Forte on Pinson Valley Parkway near Cleage Drive in Birmingham, Alabama, about 10:30 p.m., roughly five minutes from his father’s home. Shots were fired into his vehicle; Thornton lost control, the car struck a tree, and deputies determined he died from gunshot wounds rather than the crash. The case was reclassified as a homicide.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s detectives say other vehicles were in the area and believe there may be witnesses who have not yet come forward. No arrests or publicly identified suspects have been announced. The family describes Kendall as an ideal child and a natural leader; Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama has increased its reward to $12,500 and the family has set up a GoFundMe to raise additional reward money.

If anyone was in that area the night of November 6 and saw vehicles or people who might be connected to the shooting, can you share what you remember with investigators?