Young Mother Anitra Holloman Tragically Killed in Birmingham Mass Shooting
A tragic mass shooting in Birmingham claimed the life of Anitra Holloman, a young mother striving for a bright future for herself and her daughter. This senseless act of violence left a community in mourning.
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Anitra Holloman, a 21-year-old mother from Birmingham, tragically lost her life in a mass shooting while waiting in line with friends outside Hush Lounge on Magnolia Avenue. Two years prior, she had already experienced deep heartbreak when the father of her daughter, Demetris Silliman Jr., was killed in a still unsolved shooting.
At the time of Silliman's death, Holloman was four months pregnant with their daughter, Skilar. Despite the loss, she remained strong and determined to create a good life for her child. She was attending college to become a teacher, working as a single mother, and was also employed at her family’s tax firm.
On the night of the shooting, Holloman was out with friends, celebrating at a Jackson-Olin High School alumni event. As they were waiting in line to enter the lounge, gunfire erupted in the busy Five Points South entertainment district. Holloman was one of four people killed when gunmen opened fire, spraying over 100 bullets into the crowd. Seventeen others were injured, and five remain hospitalized.
Her mother, Candace Kemp, shared how Holloman was her "best friend" and a loving, devoted mother to Skilar, who just turned 1 in March. Holloman had big dreams of becoming a teacher and notary, hoping to follow in her mother’s entrepreneurial footsteps. Kemp spoke about her daughter’s resilience, noting how Anitra stayed strong after the loss of Silliman and provided for their daughter.
Another victim, 27-year-old Tahj Booker, attempted to shield Holloman from the gunfire, but both tragically lost their lives at the scene. Kemp recounted the devastating moment when she realized her daughter had been a victim, after repeatedly calling her phone with no answer.
Holloman’s daughter, Skilar, still too young to fully understand the tragedy, has been looking for her mother around their home, unsure of what has happened. Kemp expressed that she feels Skilar can sense that her mother is gone.
Kemp described her daughter as kind, goal-driven, and always thoughtful, especially when it came to her family. "She never missed a holiday and always gave me meaningful gifts," Kemp said. Holloman’s smile and giving nature will be what she is remembered for most.
Authorities are offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information about the shooters involved in this senseless act of violence.
