‘Sweet 16’ Party In Alabama Ends In Tragedy: 4 Dead, 28 Injured In Mass Shooting

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Tragedy struck when a mass shooting occurred at a Sweet 16 birthday party held at a dance studio in Dadeville, Alabama. The incident resulted in the death of four individuals and left 28 others injured, some critically. The tragic details inside…

There have been more mass shootings than days in 2023, and another has just been added.

Authorities said four people were killed and 28 others were injured, some critically, in a shooting at a “Sweet 16” birthday party in Dadeville, Ala., on Saturday night.

The mass shooting occurred shortly after 10:30 p.m. local time at the Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio, where people were gathered for a Sweet 16 celebration.

By Sunday evening, law enforcement officials had still not revealed a motive or whether any suspects had been identified.

“This is also a very fluid situation,” Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said during a press conference, adding that officials are still trying to confirm who was in the studio building at the time of the incident.

In an interview with WBMA-TV, Keenan Cooper, the DJ at the party, stated that the celebration was briefly interrupted when attendees were alerted to the presence of a gun. Although individuals with weapons were requested to exit, no one left. Cooper shared that when the shooting began some time later, certain individuals took cover beneath a table where he was present, while others fled the area.

One of the victims who lost their life in the shooting was a high school senior who had future aspirations of playing college football. He had been attending his sister’s “Sweet 16” birthday celebration.

Rising sports star Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, an 18-year-old Dadeville High School senior who had committed to Jacksonville State University, was celebrating at his sister Alexis‘ party when he was shot to death, according to his grandmother Annette Allen.

”He was a very, very humble child. Never messed with anybody. Always had a smile on his face,” Dowdell’s grandmother, Annette Allen, told the Montgomery Advertiser on Sunday.

According to reports, Phil’s mother was also shot and is recovering from her injuries.

“It’s a very close, tight knit community. Everybody knows everybody. That’s why this is so difficult,” Ben Hayes, the chaplain of the Dadeville High School’s football team, told CNN. “I knew these kids personally, most people did.”

17-year-old Shaunkivia Nicole “Keke” Smith was also killed during the shooting. She was a student athletic manager for the Dadeville High School track team and was set to attend the University of Alabama in the fall, according to CNN. 

A Twitter account for the high school said Sunday all four victims had been identified, but said they were waiting to release the victims’ names until the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) made an announcement.

According to WBMA-TV, the other two victims are 19-year-old Marsiah Emmanuel “Siah” Collins and 23-year-old Corbin Dahmontrey Holston.

Marisah’s father, Martin, took to Twitter to confirm his son, who was set to attend LSU in the fall, was killed in the shooting.

 

 

The city of Dadeville, with a population of around 3,200 residents, was shaken by the shooting incident. The city is located approximately 57 miles (92 kilometers) northeast of Montgomery, Alabama.

Over the weekend, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden issued a statement expressing their condolences and offering prayers to the families of the victims affected by the shooting. The president expressed concern over the current state of affairs in the country, questioning how children cannot attend a simple birthday party without feeling unsafe. You can read the full statement here.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey tweeted on Sunday morning that she was grieving the events in Dadeville, but she did not elaborate.

“This morning, I grieve with the people of Dadeville and my fellow Alabamians. Violent crime has NO place in our state, and we are staying closely updated by law enforcement as details emerge,” Ivey said.

Pastor Jason Whetstone, who leads the Christian Faith Fellowship, said the granddaughter of one of his church members was shot in the foot and underwent surgery Sunday. “All of our hearts are hurting right now. We’re just trying to pull together to find strength and comfort,” Whetstone said before an interfaith vigil in the parking lot of First Baptist Church.

“We are a loving community,” he said. “We’re pulling together in every aspect to comfort each and every one of these children, the teachers, all of the community.”

No arrests have been made at the time of this post.

It is disheartening to see that mass shootings continue to occur with alarming frequency, leaving innocent people dead or injured. Despite widespread public outcry and calls for action, it seems that little has been done to address the root causes of these incidents or to implement measures that could help prevent them. As a society, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to raise awareness about gun violence and push for change that will protect our communities from such tragedies in the future.

Prayers to the victims’ families and everyone who has been affected by this tragedy. 

Photos: Alex Gladden/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP/Jeff Amy/AP Photo

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