19-Year-Old Dies After Shooting Himself in the Head at Alabama Shopping Center
By J. Thomas Wade
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News
July 20, 2026
OXFORD, Ala. A nineteen-year-old shot himself in the head at an Alabama shopping center and many, including law enforcement, are still full of questions that have few answers.
Local first responders were called to the Oxford Exchange shopping center Tuesday evening after someone called 911 reporting that a person had been shot.
The nineteen-year-old, identified as Levi Cotton, 19, of Munford was identified as the person shot and reportedly was in critical condition.
Oxford Police Chief Daniel Phipps said the shooting appears to have been accidentally self-inflicted however, Cotton died from the self-inflicted gunshot to his head and that has raised a lot of questions in the community including asking questions about whether this was a suicide, a desperate cry for help.
Chief Phipps said that the investigators who had responded to the scene Tuesday initially collected evidence at that time to determine what had happened.
“Based on the investigation conducted thus far, the evidence indicates that this incident appears to have been an accidental self-inflicted shooting,” Phipps said.
Regarding the victim, Phipps added, “Mr. Cotton was an organ donor, and in the midst of this tragic loss, his selfless decision will provide the gift of life to others. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
While police continue investigating, they continue to believe that is was an accidental shooting.
Copyright 2026 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
SUPPORT OUR “LOCAL” NEWS
