Alabama shooting - update: Teen brothers among three arrested in Dadeville party attack as motive speculated
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Two teenage suspects have been arrested in connection with the mass shooting at a “Sweet 16” birthday party that left four people dead and 32 injured in Dadeville, Alabama.
Dadeville Police announced the arrests of 17-year-old Ty Reik McCullough and 16-year-old Travis McCullough at a press conference on Wednesday morning after remaining tight-lipped about the progress of the investigation for four days after the horror attack at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio on Saturday night. A third man, 20, was also arrested, according to the AP.
The teens were taken into custody on Tuesday night and charged with four counts of reckless murder. More charges are expected to follow.
High school football star Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, was one of the four killed in the incident and it has emerged that he died saving the life of his sister Alexis, whose birthday celebration it was.
Shaunkivia Nicole “KeKe” Smith, 17, Marsiah Collins, 19, and Corbin Holston, 23 , were named as the other three victims of the shooting, which left many more injured, some of whom have since been discharged from hospital while others continue to receive treatment.
Key Points
Police to give press conference as community frustration grows over lack of answers
Shooting survivor gives interview from hospital bed
High school football star among four victims of latest mass shooting
Joe Biden: ‘What has our nation come to when children cannot attend a birthday party without fear?'
Gun violence at ‘Sweet 16’ party leaves four dead, 32 injured
Total number of Dadeville injured raised from 28 to 32, ALEA says
21:42 , Andrea Blanco
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) revealed that the number of people wounded in the attack on Alexis Dowdell’s birthday party was 32 and not 28 as it had previously stated.
The number of lives lost remains at four, it added.
“After conducting a preliminary analysis of the evidence at the scene, as well as reviewing the information that has been received so far, Special Agents are still in the process of gathering information relative to the sequence of events that ultimately led to the shooting,” the agency wrote.
“Special Agents did not recover any high-powered rifle ammunition at the scene; however, they did recover numerous shell casings used in handguns. Investigators are still processing all of the evidence, in conjunction with completing interviews, in an effort to solidify a motive and potential suspects.”
Suspects identified as Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16
20:55 , Andrea Blanco
The suspects have been named as 17-year-old Ty Reik McCullough and 16-year-old Travis McCullough.
They were taken into custody on Tuesday night.
Both teens have been charged as adults with four counts of reckless murder.
More charges are expected to follow.
The Independent’s Andrea Blanco has more:
Teen brothers arrested in Alabama Sweet 16 mass shooting
Victim’s mother asked attendees with guns to leave party before shooting unfolded
20:23 , Andrea Blanco
Taniya Cox, an 18-year-old who was shot twice in her right arm as she fled the party, joined hundreds of residents, told CBS News that Phil and Alexis Dowdell’s mother had ordered anyone with a gun to leave the party just moments before the shooting unfolded.
“The mother said whoever had guns had to get out and they didn’t get out and five minutes later the shooting started,” Ms Cox said.
“I ran in front of a bullet and got shot. I didn’t know what was going on I just saw blood coming out of my arm.”
Authorities said earlier this week that they did not recover any high-powered rifle ammunition at the scene. They did find numerous shell casings used in handguns.
Teens arrested in connection to Dadeville shooting are brothers
19:42 , Andrea Blanco
Three days after gunfire at a Sweet 16 birthday party killed four young people and injured 32 more, some critically, authorities in Dadeville announced the arrests of Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16.
According to local outlet AL.com, the suspects are brothers.
The teens were taken into custody on Tuesday night and have been charged with four counts of reckless murder each. Sgt Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said during a press conference on Wednesday that a motive for the shooting has been determined, but details will not be shared with the public at this time.
Community members start fundraisers for those affected by shooting
19:17 , Andrea Blanco
Several community members, businesses and nonprofits have reportedly begun to raise funds to help those affected by Saturday’s mass shooting.
Longleaf Antique Mall announced on its Facebook page it is collecting monetary donations for the victims and families, which will be passed on to the First Baptist Church of Dadeville.
A flower shop has been selling door and mailbox bows for $15, which will go towards a scholarship fund in memory of Phil Dowdell and Shaunkivia “Keke” Smith.
A GoFundMe campaign for Dowdell has been set up by his mother, LaTonya Allen, as the family navigates through funeral expenses. Another fundraiser was set up for Smith’s family.
‘You don’t mess with out kids'
19:00 , Andrea Blanco
Tallapoosa District Attorney Mark Sergist said more charges are expected to come. The suspects will have a bond hearing within the next 72 hours, and the prosecutors are expected to ask a judge to hold them without bail.
Mr Sergist became emotional as he announced the developments, saying some of the victims were children of his longtime friends. He said that grand jurors typically meet in Tallapoosa County in March and September, but he said he would recall grand jurors to seek an indictment before September
“There’s an uncut cake and unburnt birthday candles that never got lit,” he said. “I know some of these victims personally ... These are my kids, these are our kids, you don’t mess with our kids.”
Dadeville shooting victim attends vigil in hospital gown
18:45 , Andrea Blanco
Taniya Cox, an 18-year-old who was shot twice in her right arm as she fled the party, joined hundreds of residents, community leaders and local politicians at a vigil on Sunday night straight from her hospital bed, The Montgomery Advertiser reported.
In an interview with CBS News, Ms Cox also recounted the moments leading up to the violence and recalled seeing more than one gunman.
“The mother said whoever had guns had to get out and they didn’t get out and five minutes later the shooting started,” she said.
“I ran in front of a bullet and got shot. I didn’t know what was going on I just saw blood coming out of my arm.”
Read more:
Dadeville shooting victim attends vigil in hospital gown
Alabama birthday party shooting victim speaks out from hospital bed: ‘Nobody would help me’
18:30 , Andrea Blanco
Police in smalltown Dadeville, Alabama, are continuing their investigation into the mass shooting at a teenager’s birthday party that left four people dead and a further 32 injured.
The violence broke out at approximately 10.34pm on Saturday at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio in the downtown area of Dadeville where Alexis Dowdell was celebrating her 16th birthday with friends and family.
The Independent’s Joe Sommerlad has more:
Alabama shooting victim speaks out from hospital bed: ‘Nobody would help me’
What comes next for two suspects in Dadeville shooting?
18:15 , Andrea Blanco
Tallapoosa District Attorney Mark Sergist said more charges are expected to come. The suspects will have a bond hearing within the next 72 hours, and the prosecutors are expected to ask a judge to hold them without bail.
Mr Sergist became emotional as he announced the developments, saying some of the victims were children of his longtime friends. He said that grand jurors typically meet in Tallapoosa County in March and September, but he said he would recall grand jurors to seek an indictment before September
“There’s an uncut cake and unburnt birthday candles that never got lit,” he said. “I know some of these victims personally ... These are my kids, these are our kids, you don’t mess with our kids.”
Teens charged as adults, DA says
18:00 , Andrea Blanco
The shootings Saturday night rocked the small town of Dadeville, about 80 miles southeast of Birmingham, and families suddenly found themselves planning memorials and burial services instead of graduation parties or college move-ins.
The fatal victims were identified on Monday as Keke Nicole Smith, 17, Phil Dowdell, 18, Marsiah Collins, 19 and Corbin Holston, 23. Four victims remain hospitalised in critical condition as of Wednesday night.
“We are going to make sure every victim gets justice, not just the deceased,” District Attorney Mark Sergist said during a press conference on Wednesday. “Even though these are 16 and 17-year-olds, we are going to charge them as adults.”
Who are the suspects arrested on Tuesday?
17:44 , Andrea Blanco
Three days after gunfire at a Sweet 16 birthday party killed four young people and injured 32 more, some critically, authorities in Dadeville announced the arrests of Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16.
The teens were taken into custody on Tuesday night and have been charged with four counts of reckless murder each. Sgt Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said during a press conference on Wednesday that a motive for the shooting has been determined, but details will not be shared with the public at this time.
“Please understand, with the violence that went on and the magnitude of what happened, we are absolutely still in the early stages of the investigation,” Sgt Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said during a press conference on Wednesday. “This is the beginning, this is not the end. There is a tremendous amount of work that is yet to be done.”
Family members welcome the arrests
17:21 , Andrea Blanco
The fatal victims were identified on Monday as Keke Nicole Smith, 17, Phil Dowdell, 18, Marsiah Collins, 19 and Corbin Holston, 23. Four victims remain hospitalised in critical condition as of Wednesday night, District Attorney Mark Sergist said.
“It don’t make the hurt any easier. But we are relieved that they (the suspects) are not out in the community,” Smith’s cousin Amy Jackson told the AP.
The gunfire broke out at a birthday party for Dowdell’s sister Alexis Dowdell, which was being held at a dance studio just off the town’s courthouse square. Witnesses had said multiple people began shooting some time after Dowdell’s mother paused the celebration to ask people with guns to leave.
More charges expected, DA says
16:46 , Andrea Blanco
Tallapoosa District Attorney Mark Sergist said more charges are expected to come. The suspects will have a bond hearing within the next 72 hours, and the state will suggest no bond.
The shootings Saturday night rocked the small town of Dadeville, about 80 miles southeast of Birmingham, and families suddenly found themselves planning memorials and burial services instead of graduation parties or college move-ins.
The fatal victims were identified on Monday as Keke Nicole Smith, 17, Phil Dowdell, 18, Marsiah Collins, 19 and Corbin Holston, 23.
Four victims remain hospitalised in critical condition as of Wednesday night, Mr Sergist said.
“We are going to make sure every victim gets justice, not just the deceased,” he said during the press conference. “Even though these are 16 and 17-year-olds, we are going to charge them as adults.”
Motive known but not yet released
16:40 , Megan Sheets
Sgt Jeremy J Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency indicated that investigators have determined a motive for the shooting, but they are not releasing it at this time.
“We can’t get into a motive right now, because that would be part of an ongoing investigation,” Mr Burkett said. “We can’t share that.”
The official also declined to disclose where the suspects are being held in jail.
District attorney vows to get justice for all victims
16:30 , Megan Sheets
District Attorney Mike Segrest vowed to secure justice for all of the shooting victims during Wednesday’s press conference announcing the charges.
“We’re going to make sure all those victims have justice, not just the deceased,” Mr Segrest said after noting that four of the injured remain hospitalised.
The district attorney noted that grand juries to bring an indictment typically meet in Tallapoosa County in March and September - but in this case he hopes to call one before then.
“If we can establish the facts, we will be asking our grand jury to come back in,” he said.
Suspects identified as Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16
16:13 , Megan Sheets
The suspects have been named as 17-year-old Ty Reik McCullough and 16-year-old Travis McCullough.
They were taken into custody on Tuesday night.
Both teens have been charged as adults with four counts of reckless murder.
More charges are expected to follow.
The Independent’s Andrea Blanco has more:
Two teens arrested in Alabama Sweet 16 mass shooting
Two teen suspects arrested
16:07 , Megan Sheets
Dadeville Police announced the arrests of two teenage suspects in connection with Saturday’s mass shooting.
Press conference to begin shortly
15:52 , Andrea Blanco
Authorities have remained tight-lipped about the investigation so far.
Police announced a press conference at 10am local time on Wednesday, but the details to be discussed during the presser were not immediately available.
Information regarding the suspect or suspects, and the motive behind the attack has not been released.
Teen celebrating her 16th birthday recalls seeing her brother die
15:06 , Andrea Blanco
Speaking to the Associated Press, Alexis Dowdell remembered trying to comfort her brother in his final moments, saying: “I got on my knees and he was laying face down. And that’s when I grabbed him. I turned him over, I was holding him.
“I wasn’t crying at the moment because I was trying to be strong instead of panicking. And so I said, ‘You’re going to be all right. You’re a fighter, you’re strong.”
She later told CBS News Philstavious was “going in and out” of consciousness as she and her mother, Latonya Allen, held him.
“And then when somebody from the ambulance had came in and they felt his pulse and they was like, ‘He’s gone.’ And then I was just like, ‘Please don’t tell me that’.”
She added: “If it wasn’t for him, I mean, I don’t know where I’d be. I don’t know if I would still be standing here today if he would never save my life.”
Recap: Police to give press conference as community frustration grows over lack of answers
14:30 , Joe Sommerlad
Three days after gunfire at a Sweet 16 birthday party killed four young people and injured 32 more, some critically, victims’ relatives and officials expressed hope that investigators may be nearing an arrest and also frustration about police silence on the case.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced Tuesday evening that multiple law enforcement agencies, including local police and the FBI, would hold a news conference at 10am local time this morning (4pm GMT) to discuss the case, further heightening anticipation of a potential breakthrough.
The shootings Saturday night rocked the small town of Dadeville, about 80 miles southeast of Birmingham, and families suddenly found themselves planning memorials and burial services instead of graduation parties or college move-ins.
A relative of one teen killed in the shooting told the Associated Press on Tuesday that the family, which has been briefed by officials, understands that the investigation is progressing.
“They are working very hard and are adamant about apprehending those who are responsible for the tragic event,” said Amy Jackson, whose cousin KeKe Smith was among the dead.
Dadeville mayor Jimmy “Frank” Goodman said Tuesday that police had established a new command centre behind a church, but it was not immediately clear if it was connected to the shooting. He also said a lack of information from police about where the investigation stands has been frustrating for many.
“They hadn’t told us nothing yet. They are not releasing anything,” Mayor Goodman said when asked if an arrest was near. “It’s been frustrating for me especially when citizens come by and want to know what is happening.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency had released little information. The previous day it said in a statement that investigators were “still processing all of the evidence, in conjunction with completing interviews, in an effort to solidify a motive and potential suspects.”
AP
Total number of Dadeville injured raised from 28 to 32, ALEA says
14:00 , Joe Sommerlad
In its most recent news release on the shooting published on Monday, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) revealed that the number of people wounded in the attack on Alexis Dowdell’s birthday party was 32 and not 28 as it had previously stated.
The number of lives lost remains at four, it added.
“After conducting a preliminary analysis of the evidence at the scene, as well as reviewing the information that has been received so far, Special Agents are still in the process of gathering information relative to the sequence of events that ultimately led to the shooting,” the agency wrote.
“Special Agents did not recover any high-powered rifle ammunition at the scene; however, they did recover numerous shell casings used in handguns. Investigators are still processing all of the evidence, in conjunction with completing interviews, in an effort to solidify a motive and potential suspects.
“ALEA is asking for the public’s assistance in this case. If you or anyone you know has information regarding this incident, please contact SBI’s Crime information hotline at 1-800-392-8011 or email at sbi.investigations@alea.gov or contact Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 1-833-AL1-STOP or at www.215stop.com.”
We hope to find out more from the ALEA shortly.
Alabama DJ says partygoers told someone had a gun
13:30 , Joe Sommerlad
Keenan Cooper, who was the DJ at the party when the gunfire broke out, said that prior to the shooting there were rumours afloat that someone in attendance had a gun.
“They mentioned someone had a gun,” Mr Cooper told WBMA.
“They stopped the party for a second, asked them to leave, nobody left and the party continued.”
An hour later, a gunman opened fire inside the Dadeville dance studio, killing at least four and injuring 28 others.
Mr Cooper said he helped teens hide under the table where he was doing his set. “I only tried to help who was in front of me, so I had a lot of people under the table and beside me trying to protect them,” he said.
“After everybody ran out, I made sure they were ok and that’s when I came out and the police arrived.”
The DJ earlier said that he didn’t hear a fight or disturbance prior to the shooting. “It’s really sad to see all the kids that were shot and the ones that are deceased,” he told CNN.
“And seeing all those bodies at the front door, all those kids are probably going to be traumatised.”
Alabama birthday party shooting victim speaks out from hospital bed: ‘Nobody would help me’
13:00 , Joe Sommerlad
One partygoer injured in the shooting was Brenazja Hutchinson, who gave an interview from her hospital bed to ABC News’s Nightline as she recovers from a bullet wound.
“I would say this has definitely been a life-changing experience,” she told the programme.
Recalling her escape from the dance studio after being struck by the gunfire, she said: “I was still inside the building yelling at them to help me, and nobody would help me so I had to gain my strength and walk outside after being shot.”
Paying tribute to Philstavious Dowdell, Ms Hutchinson said: “I feel like he didn’t deserve that because he was innocent. He had just committed to going to college and he was a sweet boy and I feel so sorry for his sister.”
Alabama shooting victim speaks out from hospital bed: ‘Nobody would help me’
Montgomery councilman calls for armed security guards at parties in response to Dadeville massacre
12:30 , Joe Sommerlad
Montgomery mayor Steven Reed opened a city council meeting on Tuesday evening with a moment of silence for those lost in the Dadeville tragedy.
“I think anytime you have something like that, which happens at a ‘Sweet 16’ birthday party no less, it makes it hard to deal with, the loss of life as well as those that are injured,” he said, according to WSFA.
Mayor Reed added that Montgomery police are assisting the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and Dadeville police in their investigation to “make sure that those who are responsible are brought to justice”.
Councilman Oronde Mitchell later expressed his concern that something similar could happen in Montgomery, given that the city has at least 50 equivalent venues that could be used to hold parties and said he was working on an ordinance that would require at least one armed security guard in attendance per 25 people at Montgomery social gatherings.
His ordinance would require 15 days notice of any such days taking place and empower police and fire departments to shutdown gatherings of concern.
In pictures: Dadeville grieves together after birthday party mass shooting
12:00 , Joe Sommerlad
Here are some of most powerful pictures from the last four days as a small town in Alabama struggles to come to terms with America’s latest outburst of senseless gun violence, in which four people aged between 17 and 23 lost their lives and a further 32 were wounded.
Mothers of victims speak out on Dadeville tragedy
11:30 , Joe Sommerlad
Speaking outside of the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio on Tuesday, where police tape has now been removed and a memorial set up, Miranda Turner paid tribute to her 17-year-old daughter, Shaunkivia Nicole Smith, who was killed in Saturday’s attack.
“It’s a hard pill to swallow, burying your child. Cause it’s something that she always said. If my mama ever leave before me, I’m going with her.’ I feel the same way,” she said, according to WSFA.
Ms Turner recalled the heartbreak she felt when she first heard the news of her daughter’s death.
“It was like, ‘not my baby. Lord, please tell me no.’ And I called, called, called. No answer,” she said.
She said Shaunkivia had been looking forward to attending the University of Alabama at Birmingham this autumn and hoped to become a neonatal intensive care unit nurse.
“I would like for someone to remember her as very caring, loving. She’s always there when you need her. That $100,000,000 smile that everybody loved to see.”
Adding a message for the killer, Ms Turner said: “Why did you take my child away from me? A month before graduation. A month before her birthday. Just why?”
Shaunkivia’s funeral is set to take place next Saturday at 1pm at First Baptist Church in Dadeville.
At another candlelit vigil, Shirley “Shunte” Jones, the mother of Marsiah Collins, paid tribute to her late son.
"I’m speechless. I’m numb. I really can’t believe that Marsiah is gone," she said, according to The Opelika-Auburn News.
“I never thought I would have to bury my child... I thought my child’s supposed to bury me.”
Janett Heard, mother of Corbin Holston, has meanwhile told local site AL.com that her son had gone to the party to check on a younger family member, who feared trouble.
Relatives told the outlet that shooting began shortly after Holston arrived and that, like Phil Dowdell, he pulled his younger relative to safety.
Moment of silence held in Alabama House of Representatives
11:00 , Joe Sommerlad
Lawmakers held a moment of silence on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives on Tuesday to remember those killed in Dadeville.
“It is a sad day for the state when something so senseless happens. Our hearts go out to the families and friends who lost loved ones in this attack and ask you to continue to pray for healing and recovery for the community,” state representative Ed Oliver of Dadeville said.
Members of the Legislative Black Caucus said it is time for the state to address gun violence.
Lawmakers were unified during a moment of prayer for Dadeville this afternoon, but they have different solutions for the problem of gun violence. #alpolitics pic.twitter.com/YxmH4ZVgk4
— Erin Davis (@erindavisnews) April 19, 2023
#HAPPENINGNOW The Legislative Black Caucus, Moms Demand Action, and other supports are on the steps of the statehouse to call for action following the shooting in Dadeville. Senator Merika Coleman says it’s about linking arms for change - she’s sponsoring a red flag law bill. pic.twitter.com/gBhZIn7262
— Erin Davis (@erindavisnews) April 18, 2023
In 2020, Alabama had the fifth-highest rate of gun deaths in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“I am tired of hearing the wails and the cries of parents and families that have lost their loved ones, and elected officials have not acted,” state Democratic senator Merika Coleman said.
Suspect(s) in Dadeville shooting still unknown
10:30 , Joe Sommerlad
While we await an update from Alabama law enforcement on the case (we still do not know whether they are looking for just one shooter or several), here is a reminder of the victims of the Saturday night’s gun attack.
This is everything we know about Philstavious Dowdell, Shaunkivia Smith, Marsiah Collins and Corbin Holston.
What we know about the victims of the Alabama ‘Sweet 16’ shooting
Who is the Alabama birthday party shooter?
10:00 , Joe Sommerlad
Dadeville is still awaiting an answer to that urgent question, which may come at today’s press conference.
In the meantime, here is everything the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has said so far about the hunt for a suspect.
Has the Alabama birthday party shooter been caught?
Police to give press conference as community frustration grows over lack of answers
09:30 , Joe Sommerlad
Three days after gunfire at a Sweet 16 birthday party killed four young people and injured 32 more, some critically, victims’ relatives and officials expressed hope that investigators may be nearing an arrest and also frustration about police silence on the case.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced Tuesday evening that multiple law enforcement agencies, including local police and the FBI, would hold a news conference at 10am local time this morning (4pm GMT) to discuss the case, further heightening anticipation of a potential breakthrough.
The shootings Saturday night rocked the small town of Dadeville, about 80 miles southeast of Birmingham, and families suddenly found themselves planning memorials and burial services instead of graduation parties or college move-ins.
A relative of one teen killed in the shooting told the Associated Press on Tuesday that the family, which has been briefed by officials, understands that the investigation is progressing.
“They are working very hard and are adamant about apprehending those who are responsible for the tragic event,” said Amy Jackson, whose cousin KeKe Smith was among the dead.
Dadeville mayor Jimmy “Frank” Goodman said Tuesday that police had established a new command centre behind a church, but it was not immediately clear if it was connected to the shooting. He also said a lack of information from police about where the investigation stands has been frustrating for many.
“They hadn’t told us nothing yet. They are not releasing anything,” Mayor Goodman said when asked if an arrest was near. “It’s been frustrating for me especially when citizens come by and want to know what is happening.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency had released little information. The previous day it said in a statement that investigators were “still processing all of the evidence, in conjunction with completing interviews, in an effort to solidify a motive and potential suspects.”
AP
Phil Dowdell died at his sister’s ‘Sweet 16'
09:00 , Andrea Blanco
Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, Marsiah Collins, 19, Corbin Holston, 23, and 17-year-old KeKe Nicole Smith have been named as the victims of the shooting in Dadeville where 28 others also sustained injuries.
The shooting took place on Saturday night during the ‘Sweet 16’ birthday party of Dowdell’s sister, Alexis, at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio.
Dowdell pushed his sister to the ground as soon as gunfire erupted at around 10.34pm inside the dance studio. “I guess he tried to push me out the door as fast as he could,” Alexis told the Associated Press.
The two got separated as the crowd began to run for cover. “I ended up slipping on blood, because it was a whole bunch of blood on the floor,” the bereaved sister recalled.
Alabama shooting victim Phil Dowdell died saving his sister’s life
Republicans insist most gun violence happens in Democratic cities – the figures tell a different story
08:00 , Andrea Blanco
Data shows that gun violence, and gun violence deaths, are disproportionately concentrated in red America.
Here’s what you need to know about the political dynamics of gun violence in the US.
GOP says gun violence mostly happens in Democratic cities – the figures disagree
‘Nobody ever imagined that something like this would happen’
07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The owner of the Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio, where four people were killed and 32 suffered injuries after gunfire erupted during a ‘Sweet 16’ birthday party, has said she eventually plans to reopen and support her community.
“Nobody ever imagined that something like this would happen. I just don’t even know what else to say to the families,” Raven Tolbert told WSFA.
“There is honestly no way to describe how hard it has been. I want to make sure we are focused on sending our condolences to those families.
“The process is just beginning, and this is gonna take a minute. I do plan to reopen this...this is not going to stop my dreams and my ambitions to do what I know God has called me to do,” Ms Tolbert added.
How many mass shootings have there been in 2023?
07:00 , Andrea Blanco
Among high-income countries around the world, the United States has for years stood out for one reason: its rate of gun violence.
Over the last decade, among relatively wealthy countries with populations of 10m or more, the rate of gun violence in the US has far surpassed that of any other nation. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the adjusted firearm homicide rate in the US is 22 times that of the European Union and more than that of Asian countries like Japan and the Republic of Korea.
The Independent’s Abe Asher reports.
How many mass shootings have there been in 2023?
Community members start fundraisers for those affected by shooting
06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Several community members, businesses and nonprofits have reportedly begun to raise funds to help those affected by Saturday’s mass shooting.
Longleaf Antique Mall announced on its Facebook page it is collecting monetary donations for the victims and families, which will be passed on to the First Baptist Church of Dadeville.
A flower shop has been selling door and mailbox bows for $15, which will go towards a scholarship fund in memory of Phil Dowdell and Shaunkivia “Keke” Smith.
A GoFundMe campaign for Dowdell has been set up by his mother, LaTonya Allen, as the family navigates through funeral expenses. Another fundraiser was set up for Smith’s family.
Watch: ‘They’re not fatalities, they’re lives tragically lost’
06:00 , Andrea Blanco
Here’s an extract from Sergeant Jeremy Burkett’s brief press conference from Sunday, in which he warned that unravelling precisely what happened during the shooting on Saturday night would be “a long, complicated process” but pledged to deliver justice and pointedly emphasised that the victims should be thought of as lives lost, not mere fatality statistics.
Dadeville shooting victim attends vigil in hospital gown
04:00 , Andrea Blanco
A “Sweet 16” birthday party in the Alabama town turned violent when gunfire erupted around 10.34pm on Saturday, leaving four people dead and 28 others injured. Nearly 48 hours on, no arrests have been made and authorities declined to speculate on the suspect or their possible motivation. Authories did say there was no further active threat to the community.
Taniya Cox, an 18-year-old who was shot twice in her right arm as she fled the party, joined hundreds of residents, community leaders and local politicians at a vigil on Sunday night, The Montgomery Advertiser reported.
In an interview with CBS News, Ms Cox also recounted the moments leading up to the violence and recalled seeing more than one gunman.
The Independent has more.
Dadeville shooting victim attends vigil in hospital gown
No suspects named 72 hours on from deadly shooting
03:00 , Andrea Blanco
Police in smalltown Dadeville, Alabama, are continuing their investigation into the mass shooting at a teenager’s birthday party that left four people dead and a further 32 injured.
The violence broke out at approximately 10.34pm on Saturday at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio in the downtown area of Dadeville where Alexis Dowdell was celebrating her 16th birthday with friends and family.
Ms Dowdell’s brother Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, a promising high school football star soon to graduate and take up a scholarship at Jacksonville State University, was shot dead at the scene, apparently having pushed Alexis out of harm’s way as she tried to flee the bloody dancefloor before dying in the arms of his mother and sister.
Also killed in the massacre were Shaunkivia (KeKe) Smith, 17, Marsiah Collins, 19, and Corbin Holston, 23.
With police remaining tight-lipped as their inquiries continue, the stories of the survivors are beginning to come to light.
Teen celebrating her 16th birthday recalls seeing her brother die
02:00 , Andrea Blanco
Speaking to the Associated Press, Alexis Dowdell remembered trying to comfort her brother in his final moments, saying: “I got on my knees and he was laying face down. And that’s when I grabbed him. I turned him over, I was holding him.
“I wasn’t crying at the moment because I was trying to be strong instead of panicking. And so I said, ‘You’re going to be all right. You’re a fighter, you’re strong.”
She later told CBS News Philstavious was “going in and out” of consciousness as she and her mother, Latonya Allen, held him.
“And then when somebody from the ambulance had came in and they felt his pulse and they was like, ‘He’s gone.’ And then I was just like, ‘Please don’t tell me that’.”
She added: “If it wasn’t for him, I mean, I don’t know where I’d be. I don’t know if I would still be standing here today if he would never save my life.”
Has the Alabama birthday party shooter been caught?
01:00 , Andrea Blanco
The small town of Dadeville, Alabama, is reeling from a mass shooting at a “Sweet 16” birthday party that left four people dead and 32 injured.
On the night of Saturday 15 April, revellers had gathered at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio – an unassuming brick building in downtown Dadeville, a town of around 3,000 residents roughly 45 miles north east of Mongomery – to wish happy birthday to Alexis Dowdell.
But a night of celebration turned to tragedy when guns were fired and four people lost their lives in the melee, among them the birthday girl’s beloved older brother Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell.
Read more:
Has the Alabama birthday party shooter been caught?
Everything we know about the Dadeville birthday party attack
Wednesday 19 April 2023 00:00 , Andrea Blanco
According to local police, the shooting began at around 10.34pm on Saturday (15 April) during a celebration held at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio in downtown Dadeville, a small town of around 3,000 residents lying 45 miles northeast of Montgomery.
Nearly 72 hours on, no arrests have been made and authorities declined to speculate on the suspect or their possible motivation but said there was no further active threat to the community.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Sergeant Jeremy Burkett said: “There were four lives tragically lost in this incident, and there’s been a multitude of injuries.
Everything we know about the Alabama birthday party shooting
Alabama officials keep quiet on progress in birthday melee
Tuesday 18 April 2023 23:00 , Andrea Blanco
Two days after gunfire erupted at a Sweet 16 birthday party in Alabama — killing four people, including two high school seniors — state police are asking people to come forward if they have video or photographs from the party.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said it has worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to establish a digital tip line for videos and photos. As of Tuesday morning, officials had released little information about the investigation.
“Special Agents are still in the process of gathering and examining information,” the law enforcement agency said in its last public statement, which was issued Monday. “Investigators are still processing all of the evidence, in conjunction with completing interviews, in an effort to solidify a motive and potential suspects.”
In addition to the four young people killed in the shooting, another 32 were injured. The dead range in age from 17 to 23.
The melee rocked the sleepy town of about 3,200 people. Families were planning funerals instead of graduation celebrations for the two high school seniors.
Phil Dowdell died at his sister’s ‘Sweet 16’
Tuesday 18 April 2023 22:13 , Andrea Blanco
A high school star, who was among the victims of a mass shooting in Alabama, died while saving his sister’s life.
Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, Marsiah Collins, 19, Corbin Holston, 23, and 17-year-old KeKe Nicole Smith have been named as the victims of the shooting in Dadeville where 28 others also sustained injuries.
Read more:
Shooting survivor gives interview from hospital bed
Tuesday 18 April 2023 21:40 , Andrea Blanco
Brenazja Hutchinson, one of the 32 people injured in Dadeville, has given a brief interview to ABC’s Nightline from her hospital bed while she recuperates from her injuries.
“I would say this has definitely been a life-changing experience,” she says.
Recalling the moment she was shot on Saturday night, she says: “I was still inside the building yelling at them to help me, and nobody would help me so I had to gain my strength and walk outside after being shot.”
Paying tribute to Philstavious Dowdell, Ms Hutchinson says: “I feel like he didn’t serve that because he was innocent. He had just committed to going to college and he was a sweet boy and I feel so sorry for his sister.”
One in five Americans have lost a family member to gun violence
Tuesday 18 April 2023 20:59 , Andrea Blanco
An astonishing 19 per cent of Americans have experienced the trauma of losing a relative to gun violence, according to a timely new study, arriving in the wake of the recent mass shootings in Nashville, Tennessee, and Louisville, Kentucky.
The survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that about the same number (21 per cent) of US adults said they had been personally threatened with a gun.
And one in six US adults (17 per cent) had directly witnessed someone being shot, according to the poll.
The Independent’s Bevan Hurley reports.
One in five Americans have lost a family member to gun violence
Dadeville mayor appeals for calm: ‘It takes time to bring things together’
Tuesday 18 April 2023 20:03 , Andrea Blanco
With the investigation into Saturday night’s killings ongoing, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said in a statement last night that handgun shell casings, but no high-powered rifle ammunition, had been recovered from the scene.
Officers have still not offered any information on precisely what happened inside the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio on Saturday night, nor named a suspected assailant (or, indeed, said whether there was more than one person involved).
Instead, they again assured the public their inquiries were ongoing and invited the public to come forward with helpful information.
Speaking to BBC News yesterday, town mayor Jimmy “Frank” Goodman said: “I understand why they are not putting out information. It just happened Saturday and today’s just Monday. It takes time to bring things together.
“The ones who were there, they aren’t talking [to anybody else] because the authorities are talking to them.
Likening the crime scene to a warzone, Mayor Goodman said: “It’s not grown-ups like it was in Vietnam, these are kids.
“They are schoolkids trying to graduate, trying to make their parents proud. It’s devastating.”
Dadeville High School is scheduled to hold its next graduation ceremony next month, but the institution is said to be revisiting its plans in light of the tragedy, with many students currently being offered counselling.
KeKe Nicole Smith mourned by family: ‘My heart is scattered’
Tuesday 18 April 2023 19:12 , Andrea Blanco
KeKe Nicole Smith, 18, the second person to have been identified as a victim of Saturday’s shooting, has been mourned by her cousin in an emotional Facebook post.
Smith was a volleyball player and team manager for the Dadeville High School track team, Michael Taylor, a coach at the institution, told The New York Times.
Amy Jackson, her cousin, confirmed her death on Facebook in the Dadeville shooting,
“My heart is scattered,” she wrote. “My lil cousin Ke... Please give our family respect during this time of bereavement Give us strength and understanding Mighty God. Praying for all loved ones that have lost their life or were injured.
“We love you Ke... it was a mass shooting in my hometown Dadeville Al... they took her from us.”
Alabama birthday party shooting victim speaks out from hospital bed: ‘Nobody would help me’
Tuesday 18 April 2023 18:38 , Andrea Blanco
Police in smalltown Dadeville, Alabama, are continuing their investigation into the mass shooting at a teenager’s birthday party that left four people dead and a further 32 injured.
The violence broke out at approximately 10.34pm on Saturday at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio in the downtown area of Dadeville where Alexis Dowdell was celebrating her 16th birthday with friends and family.
The Independent’s Joe Sommerlad has more:
Alabama shooting victim speaks out from hospital bed: ‘Nobody would help me’
CrimeStoppers offering cash reward for information
Tuesday 18 April 2023 18:01 , Andrea Blanco
CrimeStoppers is offering a $5,000 cash reward for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the suspect involved in the Dadeville mass shooting.
Alabama law enforcement officers yesterday implored people to come forward with information about a shooting incident that killed four people and injured 28 others.
“We’ve got to have information from the community,” Sgt Jeremy Burkett said during a news conference.
Investigation continues as shooter still at large
Tuesday 18 April 2023 17:42 , Andrea Blanco
Alabama officials continued investigating a weekend shooting that killed four and injured 28 at a teenager’s birthday party.
Victims include Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, and Shaunkivia Nicole “Keke” Smith, 17, who were identified by family members.
Also unclear is who may have started the shooting and why, or whether investigators have made any arrests.
Sgt Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency did not take questions during news conferences. Officials repeatedly asked others to come forward with information on the shooting.
No suspects named in Sweet 16 shooting attack
Tuesday 18 April 2023 17:15 , Andrea Blanco
Little information has come out officially about the shooting in the hours since it happened. A grisly photo — showing six people lying on the ground inside the dance studio next to the words “praying for Dadeville” — has emerged after the shooting, according to the broadcaster. First responders said they were aware of the shooting, and a group of social media users are trying to get the image removed.
Ben Haynes, the senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Dadeville, said he spent the night with the families of the victims, according to ABC News.
Family members of the victims reportedly told Mr Haynes that an argument inside the party sparked the shooting, and that there were more than 50 people at the party when the violence broke out.
The situation is under active investigation by the ALEA’s State Bureau of Investigations, the Dadeville Police Department, and the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Mother and daughter recall Philstavious Dowdell’s final moments
Tuesday 18 April 2023 16:15 , Andrea Blanco
Speaking to CBS News reporter Omar Villafranca in Dadeville, Latonya Allen, the mother of the deceased Philstavious Dowdell and Alexis Dowdell, whose birthday party it was, has recalled the moment she and her daughter attempted to tend to her son’s wounds in distressing detail.
“[Alexis] got down on her knees and we’re holding him. He was just bloody,” she said.
“She was saying, you know, kept telling him, ‘Wake up, Phil, wake up.’ He was trying to say something, but by that time he couldn’t say anything else. And he stopped breathing.”
Ms Dowdell herself said her brother was “going in and out” of consciousness as they held him.
“And then when somebody from the ambulance had came in and they felt his pulse and they was like, ‘He’s gone.’ And then I was just like, ‘please don’t tell me that’.
“If it wasn’t for him, I mean, I don’t know where I’d be. I don’t know if I would still be standing here today if he would never save my life.”
Also speaking to CBS was Daquan Doss, a high school friend of Phil Dowdell, who said, with tears in his eyes: “I was standing right beside him. Next thing I know, they’re shooting on him. I think he went right into it. I went the opposite way. I wish I could’ve pulled him my way.”
Ms Allen had been chaperoning the party and had stopped the event at one point when rumours of guns on the premises began to circulate, turning on the lights and ordering anyone carrying a firearm to leave.
Dadeville shooting victim attends vigil in hospital gown
Tuesday 18 April 2023 16:00 , Andrea Blanco
A survivor of the mass shooting attended a vigil in her hospital gown just a day after the tragedy.
Taniya Cox, an 18-year-old who was shot twice in her right arm as she fled the party, joined hundreds of residents, community leaders and local politicians at a vigil on Sunday night, the Montgomery Advertiser reported.
In an interview with CBS News, Ms Cox also recounted the moments leading up to the violence and recalled seeing more than one gunman.
“The mother said whoever had guns had to get out and they didn’t get out and five minutes later the shooting started,” she said.
“I ran in front of a bullet and got shot. I didn’t know what was going on I just saw blood coming out of my arm.”Andrea Blanco reports.
How Alabama shooting victim Phil Dowdell died at his sister’s ‘Sweet 16'
Tuesday 18 April 2023 15:36 , Andrea Blanco
A high school star, who was among the victims of a mass shooting in Alabama, died while saving his sister’s life.
Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, Marsiah Collins, 19, Corbin Holston, 23, and 17-year-old KeKe Nicole Smith have been named as the victims of the shooting in Dadeville where 28 others also sustained injuries.
Read more:
Alabama shooting victim Phil Dowdell died saving his sister’s life
Has the Alabama birthday party shooter been caught?
Tuesday 18 April 2023 15:16 , Andrea Blanco
Four victims were killed and 32 injured in a mass shooting at a ‘Sweet 16’ party in downtown Dadeville on Saturday night.
The Independent’s Joe Sommerlad has more:
Has the Alabama birthday party shooter been caught?
What do we know about the search for the shooter behind the Alabama birthday killings?
Tuesday 18 April 2023 15:00 , Joe Sommerlad
The small town of Dadeville, Alabama, is reeling from a mass shooting at a “Sweet 16” birthday party that left four people dead and 32 injured.
On the night of Saturday 15 April, revellers had gathered at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio – an unassuming brick building in downtown Dadeville, a town of around 3,000 residents roughly 45 miles north east of Mongomery – to wish happy birthday to Alexis Dowdell.
But a night of celebration turned to tragedy when guns were fired and four people lost their lives in the melee, among them the birthday girl’s beloved older brother.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is investigating the mass shooting but has so far remained tightlipped about both a suspect and a motive.
Here’s what has been said so far about the hunt for the shooter (or shooters).
Has the Alabama birthday party shooter been caught?
Watch: ‘They’re not fatalities, they’re lives tragically lost’
Tuesday 18 April 2023 14:30 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s an extract from Sergeant Jeremy Burkett’s brief press conference from Sunday, in which he warned that unravelling precisely what happened during the shooting on Saturday night would be “a long, complicated process” but pledged to deliver justice and pointedly emphasised that the victims should be thought of as lives lost, not mere fatality statistics.
Biden decries rampant gun violence after Alabama birthday shootings
Tuesday 18 April 2023 14:00 , Joe Sommerlad
Mourning the dead after his return from a four-day state visit to Ireland, US president Joe Biden responded to events in Dadeville over the weekend by saying in a statement: “What has our nation come to when children cannot attend a birthday party without fear? When parents have to worry every time their kids walk out the door to school, to the movie theatre, or to the park?
“Guns are the leading killer of children in America, and the numbers are rising – not declining. This is outrageous and unacceptable.”
He has since issued this tweet:
Our nation is once again grieving for four Americans in Dadeville and two others in Louisville who were tragically killed this weekend.
Jill and I are praying for their families, and for the many others injured and fighting for their lives.
This is outrageous and unacceptable.— President Biden (@POTUS) April 17, 2023
The incident came after mass shootings at a Christian elementary school in suburban Nashville, Tennessee, and at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky, once more inspiring calls for America to introduce tighter gun control laws.
Dadeville shooting victim attends vigil in hospital gown
Tuesday 18 April 2023 13:30 , Joe Sommerlad
Taniya Cox, an 18-year-old who was shot twice in her right arm as she fled the party, joined hundreds of residents, community leaders and local politicians at a vigil on Sunday night straight from her hospital bed, The Montgomery Advertiser reported.
In an interview with CBS News, Ms Cox also recounted the moments leading up to the violence and recalled seeing more than one gunman.
“The mother said whoever had guns had to get out and they didn’t get out and five minutes later the shooting started,” she said.
“I ran in front of a bullet and got shot. I didn’t know what was going on I just saw blood coming out of my arm.”
Andrea Blanco has her story.
Dadeville shooting victim attends vigil in hospital gown
The victims of the ‘Sweet 16’ shooting: From a high school football star to an aspiring musician
Tuesday 18 April 2023 13:00 , Joe Sommerlad
A mass shooting at a teen’s dance hall birthday party has hit every corner of Dadeville, a small city of just 3,200.
The Independent’s Andrea Blanco and Shweta Sharma report.
What we know about the victims of the Alabama ‘Sweet 16’ shooting
‘He tried to push me out the door’: How Alabama shooting victim Phil Dowdell died at his sister’s birthday party
Tuesday 18 April 2023 12:30 , Joe Sommerlad
Josh Marcus has this on the tragic death of a “hometown hero” with a bright future in college football.
Student bound for Division 1 football career among victims of Alabama party shooting
Republicans insist most gun violence happens in Democratic cities – the figures tell a different story
Tuesday 18 April 2023 12:00 , Joe Sommerlad
Data shows that gun violence, and gun violence deaths, are disproportionately concentrated in red America.
Here’s what you need to know about the political dynamics of gun violence in the US.
GOP says gun violence mostly happens in Democratic cities – the figures disagree
One in five Americans have lost a family member to gun violence
Tuesday 18 April 2023 11:30 , Joe Sommerlad
An astonishing 19 per cent of Americans have experienced the trauma of losing a relative to gun violence, according to a timely new study, arriving in the wake of the recent mass shootings in Nashville, Tennessee, and Louisville, Kentucky.
The survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that about the same number (21 per cent) of US adults said they had been personally threatened with a gun.
And one in six US adults (17 per cent) had directly witnessed someone being shot, according to the poll.
The Independent’s Bevan Hurley reports.
One in five Americans have lost a family member to gun violence
