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. Around 50 people were attending the event at the 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)

At some point in the evening word began spreading that one or more people present were in possession of firearms and some said that an armed individual was turned away from the door. Keenan Cooper, the DJ for the event, told WBMA-TV that he had paused the music for an announcement by Alexis' mother, LaTonya Allen, that anyone carrying a gun should leave the party, but no one did, and dancing resumed. 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.

At 10:34 PM the party was interrupted by gunfire. 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. He was not attending the party but went to check on a younger relative there who had communicated to him that there might be trouble.

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 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 expects 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)

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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