West News Wire: After a teenager’s birthday party in the small Alabaman hamlet of Dadeville descended into chaos, four people were shot and another 28 were hurt. Authorities are refusing to say whether they have any suspects in custody a full day later, but they maintain that the neighborhood is no longer in danger.
Around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, a shooting broke out inside a dance studio in the center of Dadeville, a 3,200-person community 92 kilometers northeast of Montgomery, Alabama.
According to local media accounts, teens are claimed to make up the majority of the victims. Four people lost their lives, while at least 28 people had a “wide variety of injuries,” according to the authorities. Nine of the victims, out of at least 15, had gunshot and in critical condition.
Authorities have held multiple press conferences since the incident, but refused to say if the suspect was arrested or whether the investigators have any idea about what might have led to the shooting.
“We’ve got to have information from the community,” Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said during the latest presser on Sunday evening, urging the witnesses to come forward.
Authorities also did not reveal the names of the victims, but one of those killed was identified by his family as Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, a high school senior who planned to play college football for Jacksonville State University. The shooting apparently happened during the celebration of his sister’s 16th birthday.
