Teen brothers among 6 arrested in deadly shooting at Sweet 16 birthday in Alabama
Two teenage brothers are among six people accused of carrying out a deadly shooting at a Sweet 16 birthday party in Alabama, authorities announced. Four young people were killed in the shooting late Saturday night at a dance studio in the town of Dadeville, Alabama.
A 15-year-old from Tuskegee was arrested Thursday morning, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced late Thursday night.
Also arrested Thursday was 19-year-old Willie George Brown Jr. and 20-year-old Johnny Letron Brown.
On Tuesday, agency officials announced the arrest of brothers identified as Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16, both of Tuskegee. Another man, 20-year-old Wilson LaMar Hill Jr., was arrested Wednesday afternoon, the agency said in a news release.
The suspects were each charged with four counts of reckless murder, the agency said. District Attorney Mike Segrest said the two brothers would be charged as adults. CBS News typically does not name suspects who are minors unless they're being charged as adults with serious crimes.
"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.
All of the deceased victims in the mass shooting were under the age of 24. The victims were identified as Marsiah Collins, 19; Phil Dowdell, 18; Corbin Holston, 23; and Shaunkivia Smith, 17.
Another 32 people were hurt in the shooting. Segrest said four people were still in critical condition and that additional charges would be filed against the suspects.
"We're going to make sure every one of those victims has justice and not just the deceased," Segrest said.
The district attorney noted that the birthday party was for Dowdell's sister, Alexis Dowdell.
"Sweet 16. There's uncut cake and unburnt 16 candles that never got lit ... on her 16th birthday party, she went out by her brother as he took his last breath," Segrest said. "That's what we're dealing with here."
Dowdell's mother, Latonya Allen, who was struck twice in the shooting, told CBS News earlier this week the gunfire sent partygoers running, hiding and crying. Phil Dowdell was found inside the dance studio.
"Alexis, she got down on her knees and was holding him," Allen told CBS News. "He was just bloody. She was saying, kept telling him, 'Wake up, Phil.'"
Alexis Dowdell said her brother pushed her to the ground when the shooting started and saved her life. "If it wasn't for him, I mean, I don't know where I would be, I don't know if I would still be standing here today," she told CBS News correspondent Omar Villafranca.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Thursday that five of the six suspects have been booked into the Tallapoosa County Jail with no bond, with the exception of the 15-year-old suspect.
The investigation into the shooting was ongoing, and Burkett said he couldn't discuss a possible motive for the attack or a possible connection between the suspects and the victims.
Burkett urged people who were at the party and haven't already contacted investigators to reach out to authorities.
"We need you to come forward for these families, for these victims," Burkett said.
