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Alabama High School Football Star Amongst 4 Killed at Sweet 16 in Mass Shooting

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In a tragic incident, a high school football standout was among the four people killed in a mass shooting in the small town of Dadeville, Alabama, where more than 20 individuals were shot during a Sweet 16 celebration for the victim’s sister. Phil Dowdell, a senior who was about to graduate in a few weeks, was at Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio celebrating his sister Alexis’ birthday on Saturday night when gunfire broke out, presumably following a fight.

 

Dowdell, who received a full scholarship to Jacksonville State in February, was the first victim to be identified. State investigators confirmed four fatalities earlier in the day, but a subsequent press conference provided limited new information, such as a potential motive or suspect.

On Sunday, Dowdell’s grandmother, Annette Allen, revealed that her grandson and his mother, who survived, were among the more than 20 attendees hit by the gunfire. In an interview, Allen recalled her grandson as a kind-hearted person who never caused trouble and always had a smile on his face. Police did not disclose whether a suspect was in custody on Sunday.

 

Allen spoke to the Montgomery Advertiser shortly after the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) confirmed the death toll in a statement on Sunday morning. She described her late grandson’s smile as “a million-dollar smile” and confirmed that he had been at the party for his sister Alexis, also a local high school student, who was celebrating her 16th birthday. The children’s mother, who was also present, sustained two gunshot wounds.

Officials confirmed that the shooting occurred at around 10:34 pm on Saturday at the Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio in downtown Dadeville on North Broadnax Street. Local police initially did not provide any updates on the number of victims or those injured for over 10 hours, until an ALEA update around 9 am revealed that four people had died in total.

Witness accounts from earlier in the day suggested that at least 20 attendees were shot. On Sunday morning, Allen added that parents who had been waiting outside local hospitals all night still did not know the whereabouts of their children. She mentioned that they were currently going from hospital to hospital searching for their loved ones, as the police held a conference urging the community of approximately 3,000 people to remain strong.

 

However, the conference did not provide any new information on the victims or a potential shooter. State investigators handling the case hinted that they faced a lengthy and difficult investigation. ALEA spokesman Sgt. Jeremy Burkett told reporters, “This is going to be a long, complicated process.” He also mentioned that the scene was still being processed and a thorough investigation would be conducted.

Neither Burkett nor other officers present at the scene provided any updates on a suspect or revealed whether any arrests had been made. Allen did not share any details about Dowdell’s mother’s condition, only mentioning that she had been shot twice. She did not provide any information about Alexis’ current condition.

Most of the injured were reportedly teenagers, and Dadeville police initially believed the attack stemmed from some sort of physical altercation. The Superintendent of Tallapoosa County confirmed to AL.com on Sunday that local students had attended the party.

 

The town’s police department revealed on Sunday that they had already handed the investigation over to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency due to the magnitude and possible implications of the death investigation. President Joe Biden and the state’s governor have reportedly been briefed on the shooting.

Both the White House and Governor Kay Ivey issued statements on Sunday condemning the attack and promising to stay updated as new developments emerged. Witnesses reported people running and screaming from the scene, and an unverified, disturbing photo circulating online appeared to show victims lying on the ground at the venue.