Three suspects have been arrested in connection to the mass shooting at a girl’s 16th birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama, that left four people dead and over two dozen people injured on Saturday.
Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said police arrested Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16, on Tuesday night. Later on Wednesday, Burkett announced that police also arrested Wilson LaMar Hill Jr., 20. On Thursday, charges were announced against Johnny Letron Brown, 20.
DADEVILLE SHOOTING: WHO ARE THE VICTIMS OF THE ALABAMA BIRTHDAY PARTY SHOOTING?
Burkett said during a press conference that the suspects were each charged with four counts of reckless murder, and a prosecutor confirmed that the McCulloughs, whom the FBI confirmed are brothers, will be charged as adults.
“Make no mistake: This is Alabama, and when you pull out a gun and you start shooting people, we’re going to put you in jail,” Burkett said.
The victims of the shooting, which happened late Saturday night at a dance studio, are Marsiah “Siah” Collins, 19; Phil Dowdell, 18; Corbin Holston, 23; and Shaunkivia “Keke” Smith, 17.
Smith and Dowdell were high school seniors at Dadeville High School. Dowdell was regarded as a “hometown hero” who was going to play football at Jacksonville State University in the fall. Smith planned on attending the University of Alabama.
Collins was a 2022 high school graduate from a neighboring school district. Holston did not attend the party but went to check on his younger family member, who was concerned there may be trouble at the party.
Ty Reik McCullough is a member of the Booker T. Washington High School football team in Tuskegee and would be a senior this fall. His coach, Lawrence O’Neal, said the older McCullough had a good junior season and was gaining attention from Division II and junior college programs.
O’Neal asked the public to refrain from judgment on the situation until the facts are known.
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“The picture that’s being painted, it might not be the picture that comes out in the end,” O’Neal said to NBC News. “I’m not saying they are victims. But what I am saying is the picture that’s being painted now, that they just showed up to shoot up the party, is not the reality of the situation.”
There have been at least 16 mass shootings since the beginning of April in the United States and 162 total mass shootings since the start of 2023, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.
