Following the mass shooting that took place on Saturday, April 15, at a birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama, police say they have “strong leads” in the massacre that left four people dead and 32 others injured.
The shooting took place late on Saturday at night around 10:34 p.m. at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio authorities said on Sunday. At least 15 teenagers were shot and sent to the hospital on Saturday night in Dadeville.
Keenan Cooper, who was the DJ at the party said that he became aware of a person with a gun and the party was briefly interrupted. Cooper stated that individuals who were in possession of guns were requested to leave, however, no one complied with the request.
“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.”
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The identities of the four individuals who lost their lives have been disclosed as Corbin Dahmontrey Holston, a 23-year-old man from Dadeville, Alabama; Marsiah Emmanuel Collins, a 19-year-old man from Opelika, Alabama; Philstavious Dowdell, an 18-year-old man from Camp Hill, Alabama, who was a senior at Dadeville High School; and Shaunkivia (KeKe) Nicole Smith, a 17-year-old female who was also a senior at Dadeville High School.
Sergeant Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency held two news conferences on Sunday, during which he refrained from taking questions.
According to Sergeant Jeremy, the injuries sustained during the incident were of various types. Some victims are still in critical condition.
“Please understand this is also a very fluid situation. 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,” Burkett said.
During the news conference, Sergeant Jeremy Burkett stated that the authorities are currently in the process of gathering information and interviewing witnesses regarding the shooting. No information was provided about the possible suspect(s) or the motive behind the incident.
The recent shooting in Alabama has added to a list of three high-profile incidents of mass shootings in the southern United States.
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The incident has reignited discussions around gun control measures, particularly as this marks the third high-profile mass shooting in the southern United States within three weeks.
Public officials are urging for stricter regulations to be put in place to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
Prior to the Alabama incident, there were outbreaks of lethal gun violence in Tennessee and Kentucky, which resulted in public officials advocating for stricter gun control regulations.
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Meanwhile, the community of Dadeville is coming together to mourn the loss of their loved ones and to support those affected by the tragedy. The Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio has been closed until further notice, and local authorities are providing support services to those who have been affected by the shooting.
