2023 Dadeville mass shooting

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The 2023 Dadeville mass shooting was a fatal incident that took place on the evening of April 15, 2023 during a birthday party in Dadeville. Four people were killed, and at least 32 others were injured.

On the night of the shooting, a "sweet sixteen" birthday party was being held for Alexis Dowdell, a cheerleader at Dadeville High School, by her mother, LaTonya Allen. Around 50–60 people were attending the event at the 988 square-foot Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio, in the former Bank of Dadeville building at 220 North Broadnax Street. Dadeville assistant football coach Michael Taylor, who was on the scene, told reporters that "the event had chaperones and security." (Alsharif & Romero - April 17, 2023)

Keenan Cooper was working as a DJ for the event. At some point in the evening one of the DJ's speakers fell over, making a loud noise. Witnesses reported that the sudden noise prompted several young men at the party to show that they were carrying handguns in their waistbands. As word spread of the possibility of violence, at least two brothers of attendees, Phil Dowdell and Corbin Holston, arrived to check on their younger siblings. Allen had Cooper stop the music and turn on the lights so she could make an announcement that anyone carrying a firearm and anyone over 18 who was not chaperoning should leave the premises. None did, and the party resumed. At 10:34 PM multiple gunshots interrupted the music. Within minutes dozens of wounded people and pools of blood were impeding others from being able to flee from the single exit door (Marlow - April 18, 2023).

Phil Dowdell and Corbin Holston were among the four who died from their injuries. Many of those wounded were transported to the Lake Martin Community Hospital in Dadeville, or to the Russell Medical Center in Alexander City. Some were transferred to East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika or to Children’s of Alabama and UAB Hospital in Birmingham.

Dadeville First Baptist Church pastor Ben Hayes, who serves as chaplain for the Dadeville High School football team and for the Dadeville Police Department, was on hand to console the families and friends of victims. He hosted a prayer vigil at his church the following night. Coach Michael Taylor, who was close to Phil Dowdell, said that "We’ve got to pray our way out of this. There ain’t no other way." (Williams, et al - April 17, 2023)

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is leading the investigation at the request of Dadeville Police chief Jonathan Floyd. Senior Trooper Jeremy Burkett served as spokesperson for the state's investigation. Mike Segrest, District Attorney for the 5th Judicial District of Alabama is collecting evidence for criminal prosecution and also coordinating services to victims and resources for witnesses. Central Alabama Crime Stoppers offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Victims

  • Shaunkivia Nicole "Keke" Smith, 17, of Dadeville was student manager for the Dadeville High School track team and had been accepted at the University of Alabama for the fall.
  • Philstavious Dowdell, 18, of Camp Hill, was the brother of the girl whose birthday was being celebrated. His sister and mother were both wounded. He was a standout football player at Dadeville High School and had accepted a scholarship to attend Jacksonville University in the fall.
  • Marsiah Emmanuel "Siah" Collins, 19, of Opelika had graduated from Opelika High School in 2022 and was planning to attend Louisiana State University in the fall.
  • Corbin Dahmontrey Holston, 23, of Dadeville, was a 2018 graduate of Dadeville High School and resided in Birmingham.

Of those who were injured by survived, 24 suffered gunshot wounds and 8 others were injured trying to get out of the building. 21 of the gunshot injuries were caused by bullets penetrating the skin and the other 3 were graze wounds. Many took more than one bullet. Three weeks after the shooting, four victims were still hospitalized.

Prosecution

By Monday investigators had still not spoken about any suspects, but had reported that, "the person is no longer a threat to the community." (Gladden & Roney - April 16, 2023). It was also revealed that the 89 shell casings found at the scene were consistent with handguns rather than high-powered rifles. (Robinson - "Dadeville shooting injured more people than originally thought", April 17, 2023)

At a press conference on the morning of Wednesday, April 19, Senior Trooper Burkett announced that two teenage suspects, brothers Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16, of Tuskegee, had been arrested the previous evening on initial charges of reckless murder (four counts each). A third suspect, Wilson LaMar Hill Jr, 20, of Auburn, was arrested on April 19. On Thursday, April 20, two more suspects were arrested om the same charges: Johnny Letron Brown, 20, of Tuskegee and Willie George Brown Jr, 19, of Auburn.

The shooting suspects were held at the Tallapoosa County Jail pending bond hearings. Burkett said that he expected additional charges to be added, and that for the teenaged suspects to be tried as adults. No suspected motive was offered. (Robinson - April 19, 2023)

Corbin Holston, who was not a guest, but had gone to check on a younger relative there who communicated to him that there might be trouble, was found with a handgun on his chest that had been fired. Some witnesses reported that he had been wearing a ski mask at one point, and more than one of the suspects identified him as the initial shooter. Collins also had a gun in his waistband when he was found, but it had not been fired.

Investigators believe at least five other guns were used in the shooting, with a range of calibers including 9 mm, .22, .40 and .45. One defendant admitted to having a gun which had been converted to fully-automatic operation and investigators believe another automatic weapon was used.

All six defendants were well acquainted with each other with at least four related to each other. Several had met up at the party despite not being formally invited. Willie Brown claimed not to have been present, but was identified as a suspect because a round found at the crime scene matched a bullet from a case in Auburn where he fired a gun. One of the juvenile suspects was wearing a court-issued ankle monitor.

In May Tallapoosa County District Attorney Mike Segrest announced that a grand jury had indicted each of the five adult defendants on the reckless murder charges previously announced, as well as with 24 counts of first-degree assault and 1 count of third-degree assault each. The minor suspect is expected to face the same charges. In September, Juvenile Court Judge Kim Taylor ruled that 15-year-old Sherman Peters III could also be tried as an adult.

Context

The incident in Dadeville took place during a period of renewed public debate over gun control and public safety following mass shootings at the Old National Bank in Louisville, Kentucky and at Covenant Presbyterian School in Nashville, Tennessee during the previous month. The shooting took place one day after Republican presidential candidates Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, and Donald Trump all spoke at the National Rifle Association-Institute for Legislative Action "Leadership Forum" in Indianapolis, Indiana.

References

External links

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