Alabama shooting – update: Six suspects including boy, 15, arrested over Dadeville Sweet 16 party attack
It is unclear how many suspects are being sought in the April 15 ‘Sweet 16’ shooting
Six suspects have now been arrested over the mass shooting at a “Sweet 16” birthday party that left four people dead and 32 injured in Dadeville, Alabama.
On Thursday, authorities announced that three more suspects were taken into custody including a 15-year-old who has not been named due to his age, Johnny Letron Brown, 20, and Willie George Brown Jr., 19.
The arrests bring the total number of people arrested over the shooting to six after the earlier arrests of Wilson LaMar Hill Jr, 20, and brothers Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16.
All six have been charged with four counts of reckless murder.
The latest arrests come five days after the horror attack at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio on Saturday night.
High school football star Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, was one of the four killed in the incident and it has emerged that he died saving the life of his sister Alexis, whose birthday celebration it was.
Shaunkivia Nicole “KeKe” Smith, 17, Marsiah Collins, 19, and Corbin Holston, 23, were also killed.
No motive has been outlined by the police.
Six suspects arrested in connection with birthday party shooting
Six suspects have now been arrested over the mass shooting at a “Sweet 16” birthday party that left four people dead and 32 injured in Dadeville, Alabama.
On Thursday, authorities announced that three more suspects were taken into custody including a 15-year-old who has not been named due to his age.
The other two suspects were named as Johnny Letron Brown, 20, and Willie George Brown Jr., 19.
Their arrests bring the total number of people arrested over the shooting to six after Wilson LaMar Hill Jr, 20, and brothers Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16, were taken into custody earlier this week.
All suspects have been booked into the Tallapoosa County Jail. They are facing four counts of reckless murder, but more charges are expected to come as at least 32 other people were injured during the violence, Tallapoosa County District Attorney Mark Segrest said on Wednesday.
Authorities say investigation was been ‘complex and thorough’
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency assured that its investigation has been “complex and thorough” after announcing the arrest of a sixth suspect.
Read the full update on the arrests:
Six suspects arrested over Alabama birthday party shooting that left four dead
Victim’s mother asked attendees with guns to leave party before shooting unfolded
Taniya Cox, an 18-year-old who was shot twice in her right arm as she fled the party, joined hundreds of residents, told CBS News that Phil and Alexis Dowdell’s mother had ordered anyone with a gun to leave the party just moments before the shooting unfolded.
“The mother said whoever had guns had to get out and they didn’t get out and five minutes later the shooting started,” Ms Cox said.
“I ran in front of a bullet and got shot. I didn’t know what was going on I just saw blood coming out of my arm.”
Authorities said earlier this week that they did not recover any high-powered rifle ammunition at the scene. They did find numerous shell casings used in handguns.
Dadeville shooting victim attends vigil in hospital gown
Taniya Cox, an 18-year-old who was shot twice in her right arm as she fled the party, joined hundreds of residents, community leaders and local politicians at a vigil on Sunday night straight from her hospital bed, The Montgomery Advertiser reported.
In an interview with CBS News, Ms Cox also recounted the moments leading up to the violence and recalled seeing more than one gunman.
“The mother said whoever had guns had to get out and they didn’t get out and five minutes later the shooting started,” she said.
“I ran in front of a bullet and got shot. I didn’t know what was going on I just saw blood coming out of my arm.”
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What charges are the suspects facing?
The six men arrested earlier this week have been charged with four counts of reckless murder each.
Tallapoosa County District Attorney Mark Sergist said on Wednesday that more charges are to come.
“We are going to make sure every victim gets justice, not just the deceased,” Mr Sergist said. “Even though these are 16 and 17-year-olds, we are going to charge them as adults.”
Mr Sergist became emotional as he announced the developments, saying some of the victims were children of his longtime friends. He said that grand jurors typically meet in Tallapoosa County in March and September, but he would recall a panel to seek an indictment before September.
Unclear how many suspects are being sought
Before police announced the arrest of a sixth suspect on Thursday, there had been no indication that others suspect were being sought.
The same can be said for the news of a third arrest on Wednesday.
The two developments raise a concerning question: How many people are actually being sought as suspects?
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency officials had already faced criticism earlier this week as residents questioned whether the public should have been informed of ongoing threats to the community prior to the first two arrests.
Suspects held in Tallapoosa County Jail
The six people charged in a deadly shooting, including three teenagers, are being held in the Tallapoosa County Jail with no bond.
Authorities wrote in court documents filed Thursday that they believe the five were present at the party and “discharged firearms into the crowd” resulting in the deaths of four people.
The party, at a dance studio just off the town square, was in full swing when gunfire erupted.
Suspect’s mother insists he’s innocent
The mother of one of the six suspects arrested for murder has insisted he is innocent.
Johnny Letron Brown was arrested on Thursday and charged with four counts of murder over the Sweet 16 party shooting.
His mother Amanda Riley told NBC News her son didn’t carry out the shooting, saying he is about to go to Faulkner University to play NAIA football.
“He didn’t do any shooting. When the firearms started firing off, he got down on the floor,” she said.
“My kids don’t carry weapons, I’m going to tell you that right now. The FBI just searched my house. They couldn’t find one weapon in my house. They didn’t find one bullet in my house and in my shed out back.”