Zaine Hite was 14 and a freshman at Dobyns-Bennett High School when he died of a gunshot wound on January 30, 2024, inside an apartment complex in Kingsport, Tennessee. Family and classmates remembered him as a creative teen who enjoyed editing videos and music and took pride in his hair. His obituary initially described the loss as an unexpected accident.

The Kingsport Police Department later treated the shooting as a criminal matter and arrested another 14-year-old, who has been charged with criminally negligent homicide; the suspect’s name has been withheld because he is a minor. The relationship between the suspect and Zaine has not been made public. The community organized support for Zaine’s family in the wake of the death.

If anyone has information about Zaine, the circumstances at the apartment complex, or knew him, please share what you can.