(Scypre.com) – A shooting that occurred during a “Sweet 16” birthday celebration at a dance studio in Dadeville, Alabama, resulted in four deaths and 28 injuries. The incident happened on Saturday night and authorities have not yet disclosed the reason for the shooting. Several of the wounded are in critical condition. The shooting began at around 10:30 p.m. CT, but officials have not provided any further information regarding the incident. Law enforcement officials have confirmed that there is no longer a threat to the community. However, they have not announced whether any suspects have been arrested or killed. The party was held at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio, which was previously an old bank building. The studio is located about half a block from Dadeville’s city hall.
One of the deceased was identified as Phil Dowdell, a high school football player who was attending his sister’s party when he was killed. Dowdell was set to graduate in a few weeks and had planned to attend Jacksonville State University on a football scholarship.
This incident marked the third high-profile mass shooting in the Southern United States in three weeks, following outbreaks of gun violence in Tennessee and Kentucky. Dadeville itself experienced at least one mass shooting in August 2016. The rising gun violence in the US has led to calls for tighter gun control measures. President Joe Biden expressed his dismay over the incident and urged Congress to pass stricter gun control laws.
The incident has caused Tallapoosa County Schools Superintendent Raymond Porter to announce that counseling services will be available in the schools on Monday. He has also called on local clergy to support families affected by the tragedy. Hundreds of members of the community gathered for a prayer vigil on Sunday evening in a parking lot close to the scene of the shooting.
During a news conference on Sunday, Sergeant Jeremy Burkett reported that there were many injuries from the shooting and that some victims remain in critical condition. The situation is still fluid, and officials are trying to gather more information and confirm who was present during the incident. Burkett urged the public to share any information about the incident with Alabama law enforcement agencies. He did not provide details about the suspect or the motive behind the shooting.
One of the victims killed was Philstavious Dowdell, who was a talented high school football player and the brother of the birthday girl. Witnesses Ben Hayes, the football team’s chaplain, and Keenan Cooper, who was the DJ at the party, expressed their sadness about the tragedy. They noted that the children who were shot and those who died will likely suffer from trauma.
Head Coach of Jacksonville State, Rich Rodriguez, expressed his condolences on Sunday for the death of Philstavious Dowdell and the other victims of the tragic shooting.
Michael Taylor, a coach at Dadeville High School, expressed his shock and disbelief. He had coached Dowdell since he was 9 years old and spoke highly of him, saying that he was a gifted athlete who excelled in anything he put his mind to. Taylor also recalled a conversation he had with Dowdell recently, where the teenager asked him to take care of his two sisters if anything ever happened to him.
Ben Hayes, the chaplain for the Dadeville football team and police department, was asked by the police chief to assist with crowd control and counseling for the students who had gathered at Lake Martin Community Hospital. Hayes expressed his sadness at the tragedy and the impact it has had on the community.