Alabama — On Saturday night, a shooter opened fire at a birthday celebration in Alabama, resulting in bloodshed.
The Alabama shooting killed four people and injured at least 28 others, according to officials.
The news
At 10:34 p.m. Saturday, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency reported a deadly gunshot in downtown Dadeville on Saturday.
Sgt. Jeremy J. Burkett provided further details, saying:
“There were four lives tragically lost in this incident, and there’s been a multitude of injuries.”
During a news conference on Sunday afternoon, Burkett claimed that the occurrence resulted in an array of injuries, with some victims in critical condition.
“Please understand this is a very fluid situation,” he added.
“We have been getting continuous updates throughout the day and we are absolutely trying to confirm and understand everyone that was in the venue there.”
According to Burkett, officials are presently questioning witnesses to gather more about the shooting.
During the news briefing, authorities provided no information about the perpetrator or his motive.
Jeremy Burkett also asked the public to contact Alabama law enforcement officials with information on the incident, saying:
“I cannot stress this enough, we absolutely need you to share it.”
What happened?
Philstavious Dowdell was among those killed in the Alabama shooting.
Dowdell was praised by the football team’s chaplain, Ben Hayes, and the party’s DJ, Keenan Cooper, as a superb high school football player.
Dowdell also happened to be the birthday girl’s brother.
Cooper said he didn’t hear any fighting or other disturbances before the crowd was pounded with bullets.
“It’s really sad to see all the kids that were shot and the ones that are deceased,” he said.
“And seeing all those bodies at the front door, all those kids are probably going to be traumatized.”
According to medical officials, around 15 youths were hospitalized early Sunday for gunshot wounds, with many in critical condition.
Dadeville Lake Martin Community Hospital representative Heidi Smith claimed that six of the fifteen minors were transported to the hospital, with six being treated and discharged.
The nine survivors were sent to various medical facilities.
According to the most recent reports, five teens were in critical condition and four were in stable condition.
According to spokesperson Susan Foy, numerous victims of the Dadeville birthday party shooting were treated at Russell Medical Center in nearby Alexander City.
“They were treated and released or transferred to other facilities,” she said.
According to Foy, she was unable to confirm the number or ages of the patients who had arrived.
Read also: Louisville police to investigate the bank shooting
Hometown hero lost
According to Keenan Cooper, Philstavious Dowdell will graduate from high school next month.
He was a football scholarship recipient at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama.
Cooper described Dowdell as “kind of like the hometown hero.”
Jacksonville State Head Coach Rich Rodriguez issued the following statement about Dowdell’s death on Sunday:
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Philstavious Dowdell and the other victims of the senseless tragedy last night,” said Rodriguez.
“He was a great young man with a bright future.”
After learning of the unfortunate occurrence, Dadeville High School coach Michael Taylor expressed disbelief.
Taylor claimed to have coached the victim since he was nine years old and regarded him as a standout athlete.
“Anything he put his hand on, he was blessed,” said Taylor.
Dadeville High School coach recalled a conversation with Dowdell in which the hometown hero said:
“If anything ever happened to me, even when I go to college, take care of my two sisters.”
“It can’t be true; it just can’t be true,” said Taylor.
Grieving
Dadeville police chaplain Ben Hayes said the chief asked him to go to Lake Martin Community Hospital to help manage the crowds and minister to the students who had gathered.
“It’s a very close, tight-knit community,” said Hayes.
“Everybody knows everybody. That’s why this is so difficult, it’s because this – it’s affecting everybody in the community.”
Hayes was informed by students that the incident transpired at a “Sweet 16” birthday party.
“I knew these kids personally. Most people did,” said the pastor of the people who gathered.
“There was a lot of sadness, a lot of concern on faces.”
“I think at this point, it’s shock,” Hayes continued. “I think probably the anger will come.”
“I think it’s a matter of time to see how people respond to this. But right now, things are quiet, and we’re just praying that it stays that way.”
Tallapoosa County Schools will give counseling to students, according to Superintendent Raymond C. Porter.
“What we’ve dealt with is something no community should have to endure,” said Dadeville Police Chief Jonathan L. Floyd.
“I also ask each of you, please do not let this moment define what you think about the city of Dadeville and our fine people.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statement expressing her condolences to the community.
“This morning, I grieve with the people of Dadeville and my fellow Alabamians. Violence crime has NO place in our state, and we are staying closely updated by law enforcement as details emerge.”
2023 mass shootings so far
The event in Alabama happened on the same day that park visitors in Louisville, Kentucky were shot.
The Louisville incident left four individuals wounded and two people dead.
It was also the second mass shooting in the city in as many days.
On Monday, a gunman killed five people at an Old National Bank branch five miles from Chickasaw Park.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, more than 160 mass shootings occurred in the United States in the first 15 weeks of 2023, averaging more than 1.5 every day.
