Alabama Sweet 16 mass shooting leaves 4 dead, dozens injured

On Saturday (April 15), many were gathered to celebrate a Sweet 16 in Dadeville, Alabama when gunfire rang out. The senseless shooting left four victims dead, at least 15 teens hospitalized, and multiple others injured.

Keenan Cooper, who was hired to DJ for the event, told CNN he didn’t recall seeing any fights or disturbances that would have given reason to believe a shooting would happen. “It’s really sad to see all the kids that were shot and the ones that are deceased. And seeing all those bodies at the front door, all those kids are probably going to be traumatized,” he added. Local authorities have not yet made any arrests or named a suspect.

Sgt. Jeremy J. Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency asked for the public’s help in identifying the assailant. Anyone with information, including videos or photos, is urged to contact officials. “I cannot stress this enough: We absolutely need you to share it,” he said, noting approximately 28 individuals were hurt at the Sweet 16. Today (April 17), Tallapoosa County Coroner Mike Knox identified the four who tragically lost their lives over the weekend: Shaunkivia (KeKe) Nicole Smith,17, a senior at Dadeville High School; Philstavious Dowdell, an 18-year-old senior at Dadeville High School from Camp Hill, Alabama; Marsiah Emmanuel Collins, 19; and 23-year-old Corbin Dahmontrey Holston.

It was Dowdell’s sister who was celebrating her Sweet 16. The 18-year-old was a star football player at his high school and had already secured a scholarship to play at Jacksonville State University. Cooper described the slain teen as “kind of like the hometown hero.” City council member Teneeshia Goodman-Johnson knew him and two other victims, saying they had “very bright futures.” While mourning the loss, she said the victims were “very athletic, very humble children, very respectful children. They just wanted to have fun, and that was taken from them.” Five attendees remain in critical condition.

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