Alabama shooting: 4 killed during birthday party identified; 32 others injured

DADEVILLE, Ala. — At least four people are dead and 32 others were injured after a shooting in Dadeville on Saturday night, police said.

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The slain victims included two high school seniors. Tallapoosa County Coroner Mike Knox identified them as Shaunkivia Nicole “KeKe” Smith, 17; Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18; Marsiah Emmanuel “Siah” Collins, 19; and Corbin Dehmontrey Holston, 23; according to WSFA-TV and AL.com.

Officials revise number of injured victims from 28 to 32

Update 8:35 p.m. EDT April 17: The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency on Monday confirmed that the number of victims injured in Saturday night’s mass shooting in Dadeville has risen from 28 to 32, WSFA-TV reported. The death toll from the Sweet 16 party on Saturday night remains at four.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Marsiah Collins remembered as ‘a funny, charismatic kid’

Update 2:30 p.m. EDT April 17: The father of 19-year-old Marsiah Emmanuel “Siah” Collins remembered his son Monday as “a funny, charismatic kid” in an interview with AL.com.

“He was a great big brother to his sisters,” Martin Collins told the online news outlet. “He was a funny, charismatic kid who loved to light up a room. He had a lot of my mom’s personality. He could do that just being in a house.”

In a social media post, Martin Collins said his son had been accepted to begin classes at Louisiana State University in the fall.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Coroner identifies 4 people killed in shooting

Update 10:50 a.m. EDT April 17: The Tallapoosa County coroner on Monday identified the people killed in Saturday’s shooting, WSFA-TV and AL.com reported.

The victims were identified as Shaunkivia Nicole “KeKe” Smith, 17; Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18; Marsiah Emmanuel “Siah” Collins, 19; and Corbin Dehmontrey Holston, 23.

Earlier, an official with Lake Martin Community Hospital said the four people killed were all high school seniors. However, social media posts showed Holston graduated from Dadeville High School in 2018, AL.com reported. Collins graduated from Opelika High School last year, according to AL.com.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

4 killed were high school seniors, hospital official says

Update 9:25 a.m. EDT April 17: Officials with Lake Martin Community Hospital in Dadeville said Monday that the four people killed in Saturday night’s shooting were high school seniors.

“Graduation’s coming up next month and — this is confirmed — I talked to one of the teachers last night at the vigil and of those that passed away, all were seniors,” Heidi Smith, director of marketing for Ivy Creek Healthcare, said at a news conference Monday. “So, it’s going to be a tough time for graduation for these kids, and we will be there for these kids and their families for the duration.

Authorities have not identified the victims, although family members said Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, and KeKe Nicole Smith, 18, were among those slain.

Authorities continue to investigate.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

6 treated and released from Dadeville hospital after shooting

Update 9:15 a.m. EDT April 17: Officials with Lake Martin Community Hospital in Dadeville said that 15 teenagers were taken to the hospital after Saturday night’s shooting.

Heidi Smith, director of marketing for Ivy Creek Healthcare, said all 15 of those taken to the hospital suffered gunshot wounds. Six have since been treated and released.

“We had nine patients that we had to transfer out,” Smith said at a news conference Monday, adding that inclement weather delayed some of the transfers. “Of those nine that transferred to other places, five of those were in critical condition and four were stable, and all nine were placed in other hospitals.”

Smith said officials at Lake Martin Community Hospital will now be focused on taking care of their staff members and the community.

“It’s very traumatic in the health care setting, in the emergency room setting, when you have one gunshot wound come through, but when you have 15 and they’re all teenagers — our staff has been through a lot,” she said. “And they stood up like troopers. They did a fantastic job. They are heroes.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

4 killed include top athlete, track team manager

Update 11:50 p.m. EDT April 16: Authorities in Alabama have not identified the four people killed. However, residents and family members said that Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, a three-sport star at Dadeville High School who was set to graduate and had a football scholarship waiting for him at Jacksonville State University, was one of the victims, the teen’s grandmother, Annette Allen, told the Montgomery Advertiser.

KeKe Nicole Smith, 18, a volleyball player and team manager for the high school’s track team, was also killed, Michael Taylor, the track team’s coach, told The New York Times. Her cousin, Amy Jackson, confirmed her death in a Facebook message, according to the newspaper.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

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Dadeville: A mourner holds a candle during Sunday's vigil in Dadeville, Alabama. Residents of the small town gathered to pray for the victims of Saturday's mass shooting. ( Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Dadeville holds vigil; ‘A 9/11 moment for all of us’

Update 9:26 p.m. EDT April 16: Residents from the small Alabama town of Dadeville gathered in the parking lot of the First Baptist Church in a vigil to remember the victims of a mass shooting on Saturday at a dance hall studio.

Town members prayed, hugged and cried as they listened to pastors urging them to rely on their faith to make it through the shooting, which killed at least four people and injured 28 others, AL.com reported.

“This wound will take a good while, forever to heal,” said Rick Lance, the lead state missionary for Alabama Baptists who spoke and led the crowd in prayer. “We will never forget this. This is a 9/11 moment for all of us here.”

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has not released information about possible motives or suspects, AL.com reported.

“What we know is a shooting took place,” First Baptist senior pastor Ben Hayes told the crowd. “Four of our friends are dead. Twenty or more are wounded. As Dr. Lance said, we will never be the same.”

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Police: 4 killed, 28 injured

Update 6:10 p.m. EDT April 16: At a news conference on Sunday evening, authorities said that the number of fatalities remained at four.

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Sgt. Jeremy Burkett said there were 28 people injured, with some of the injuries characterized as critical.

“We have had an overwhelming show of support,” Burkett said at the news conference. “We’re extremely grateful.”

Burkett did not take questions but asked for the public to remain patient while authorities continue to gather information.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

5 people injured during Dadeville shooting in 2016

Update 5:41 p.m. EDT April 16: The small town of Dadeville has experienced a shooting before, although not as large as Saturday night’s incident at a Sweet 16 birthday party.

According to AL.com, five people were injured at the town’s American Legion Hall on Aug. 28, 2016. Injuries ranged from critical to non-life-threatening, WSFA-TV reported.

Anthony Maurice Jones, 24, was later arrested in Goodwater, Alabama, and charged with five counts of attempted murder, according to the television station.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Biden issues statement

Update 3:24 p.m. EDT April 16: President Joe Biden released a statement Sunday afternoon following the shooting.

“This morning, our nation is once again grieving for at least four Americans tragically killed at a teen’s birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama, as well as two others killed last night in a crowded public park in Louisville. Jill and I are praying for their families, and for the many others injured and fighting for their lives in the wake of this weekend’s gun violence,” Biden said.

Original story: The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said that around 11:45 p.m. special agents were called to the scene of a shooting per the request of the Dadeville Police Department Chief, AL.com reported. The shooting happened just after 10:30 p.m.

ALEA Sgt. Jeremy Burkett said during a news conference that there was no “initial confirmation” about what possibly led up to the shooting, according to The Associated Press.

“There were four lives tragically lost in this incident and there’s been a multitude of injuries,” Burkett said, according to the AP.

“What we’ve dealt with is something that no community should have to endure. I just ask for your patience. It’s going to be a long process, but I do earnestly solicit your prayers,” Dadeville police Chief Jonathan L. Floyd said during the news conference, according to the AP.

“This morning, I grieve with the people of Dadeville and my fellow Alabamians. Violent crime has NO place in our state, and we are staying closely updated by law enforcement as details emerge,” said Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Twitter.

Witnesses told WRBL that a possible birthday party was taking place at Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio when the shooting happened.

Dadeville Police Department chaplain Pastor Ben Hayes said, according to the AP, that most of the victims were teenagers because the shooting happened at a 16-year-old’s birthday party.

“Currently, there have been four confirmed fatalities and multiple injuries,” according to a news release from ALEA obtained by AL.com. “Nothing further is available as the investigation is ongoing.”

The Tallapoosa County school superintendent, Raymond C. Porter, said that counseling will be made available for students Monday, the AP reported.

President Biden has reportedly been briefed on the shooting and the White House is monitoring the situation, according to WRBL.

Police have not released information about if a suspect has been arrested, according to the AP.