A fourth person has been charged with murder after shooting four people at a Sweet 16 party in rural Alabama.
On Thursday, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced the arrest of Johnny Letron Brown, 20, of Tuskegee. He faces four counts of reckless murder.
Saturday’s shooting at a 16th birthday party shocked Dadeville, a sleepy East Alabama town of 3,200.
In addition to the four deaths, 32 others were injured, four of them critically. The party, at a dance studio just off the town square, was in full swing when gunfire erupted.
The day before Brown’s arrest, the agency announced that Tuskegee residents and brothers Tyreese “Ty Reik” McCullough, 17, Travis McCullough, 16, and Wilson LaMar Hill Jr., 20, of Auburn had all been charged with four counts of reckless murder.
Anyone who has information, especially videos or photos from the night in question, is asked to submit it here.
On Thursday, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced the arrest of Johnny Letron Brown, 20, of Tuskegee. He faces four counts of reckless murder
Wilson LaMar Hill Jr., 20, was arrested Wednesday in connection with the Alabama Sweet 16 massacre on April 15
Brothers Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16, were also arrested for allegedly carrying out the shooting on Tuesday night
Tallapoosa County District Attorney Mike Segrest said the two teens would be tried as adults, an automatic requirement for anyone 16 or older charged with murder in Alabama.
Also on Wednesday, Sgt. Jeremy J. Burkett declined to discuss a possible motive for the shooting at a press conference due to the nature of the investigation.
Alabama state law defines reckless homicide as when someone causes death by acting with extreme disregard for human life and engaging in reckless conduct that carries a serious risk of death.
The victims have been identified as Philstavious ‘Phil’ Dowdell, 18, Corbin Dahmontrey Holston, 23, Shaunkivia Nicole Smith, 17, and Marsiah Emmanuel Collins, 19.
Alabama District Attorney for the Fifth District, Mike Segrest, said four victims were still hospitalized in critical condition, saying, “This is just the tip of the iceberg.” We’re going to make sure that every one of those victims gets justice and not just the deceased.”
Sergeant Burkett said, “Make no mistake, this is Alabama and if you pull out a gun and start shooting people, we’ll put you in jail.”
No high-powered rifle ammunition was recovered, but special agents did find numerous small arms cartridge cases.
Russell County District Attorney Kenneth Davis, who previously spoke on another charge of reckless murder, explained, “It’s sometimes called a depraved heart in the jurisprudence.
“It means that you have committed an act so reckless that it endangers everyone, not just one specific person, but everyone.”
Alexis Dowdell, 16, (pictured) said her brother Philstavious ‘Phil’ Dowdell, 18, was one of four people killed Saturday night at her Sweet 16th birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama
Dowdell had pledged to play football at Jacksonville State University in Florida next fall before dying in his sister’s arms
Philstavious ‘Phil’ Dowdell of Camp Hill, was the birthday boy’s brother. He died when his sister knelt beside him and begged him to keep breathing.
Alexis Dowdell told the BBC in a heartbreaking interview that her brother saved her life, only to be shot himself and die in her arms, in Dadeville, Alabama on Saturday night.
“I told him to be strong,” Alexis said of her final moments with her brother, a senior at Dadeville High School who had joined Jacksonville State University on a football scholarship.
Keke Smith, 17, Marsiah Collins, 19, and Corbin Holston, 23, were also killed, while more than two dozen others were injured at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio where the birthday party was taking place.
During the party, rumors spread that someone had a gun. The DJ stopped the music and asked the person who was armed to leave, when no one did, the party continued. Moments later, at around 10:30 p.m., gunshots rang out and panic ensued.
“Suddenly you hear gunshots and you just see everyone running to the door and people falling and screaming,” Alexis said in her interview.
The shooting took place in Dadeville, a small town of 3,000 residents an hour’s drive from Montgomery
Tallapoosa County coroner Mike Knox identified the two remaining victims Monday as 19-year-old Marsiah Emmanuel “Siah” Collins and Corbin Holston, 23
Senior Keke Smith, 17, was also killed in the attack
At one point, Alexis said her brother pushed her to the ground. Amidst the chaos, the couple got divorced. She managed to escape the room unharmed.
When she went back inside, she found her brother lying seriously injured on the floor.
Alexis went on to say that her brother was extremely polite and would open doors for others and would always be the first to apologize when the siblings argued.
His mother, LaToya Allen, told the BBC that her son made her proud “in every way”.
“A piece of my heart has been ripped out. He was due to graduate next month. It is said that I go to graduation, I go to the cemetery to see my son, “she said.”
Jacksonville State football coach Rich Rodriguez said in a statement Sunday: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Philstavious Dowdell and the other victims of last night’s senseless tragedy. He was a wonderful young man with a bright future.’
Dowdell also recently won medals in a high school track meeting at Troy University.
Guidance was available Monday for students at Tallapoosa County schools, said school district superintendent Raymond C. Porter.
“This morning I grieve with the people of Dadeville and my Alabama countrymen. Violent crime has NO place in our state, and we will be closely monitored by law enforcement as details emerge,” Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said on social media.
Flowers, balloons and two teddy bears wearing graduation caps and “Class of 2023” sashes were piled outside the dance studio on Wednesday. Black and gold balloons and ribbons, the colors of Dadeville High, adorned local mailboxes.
Segrest said dozens of teenagers from nearby towns attended the party, leaving trauma in the region. “There were so many kids in this room and what they saw, they are victims of this,” he said. “Their families are the victims of this.”
A relative of KeKe Smith was thankful for arrests. It doesn’t make the pain any easier. But we are relieved that they (the suspects) are not in the community,” Amy Jackson said in a telephone interview.
Investigators have released little information, which has frustrated some.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency had said only that small arms shell casings had been found and there was no evidence that a high-powered rifle had been used. Burkett issued another call for information from partygoers and the public on Wednesday.
Segrest said they will ask that the suspects be held without bond. It was not known Wednesday afternoon whether the arrested had lawyers who could comment on their behalf.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2020, Alabama had the fifth highest number of gun-related deaths in the country.
“Someone needs to start thinking about Mom because I know I’m tired of it and everyone behind me is tired of it,” Burkett said. “We’re tired of going to the mothers and telling them these kids aren’t coming home.”