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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

A shooting occurred in the Five Points neighborhood in the evening hours of Dec. 23 that left one female deceased. Taylor Ryan Heaton, 24, of Jemison was arrested and charged with murder following the investigation by the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies from the CCSO were dispatched to a residence in the neighborhood at around 10 p.m. after a shooting occurred. When they arrived, they found a female victim with at least one gunshot wound. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

After further investigation, CCSO officers believe the incident was not malicious or a domestic violence type of homicide. They believe after gathering more information that Heaton had been playing or handling the gun carelessly and accidentally fired the weapon, subsequently hitting the female victim and killing her. The CCSO currently has Heaton’s charges listed as Murder-Family-Gun Domestic Violence, and he has no bond.

“The case is currently under investigation, and we are committed to ensuring justice for the victim and her family,” a press release from the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office said.

Any updates to the investigation will be published in this story. The CCSO urges anyone with information related to the incident to contact their office at 205-755-4698.