3 Arrested, Including 2 Teen Brothers, for Deadly Alabama Birthday Party Shooting

Alabama authorities have arrested three suspects in the deadly Saturday night shooting at a Sweet 16 birthday celebration in Dadeville.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced the arrest of two teenagers Wednesday morning, identifying them as brothers Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16, and saying they would be charged as adults, WTVM reported.

The third suspect was arrested Wednesday afternoon. He was identified as Wilson LaMar Hill, 20. All three of the suspects have been charged with four counts of reckless murder each.

Four people were killed and more than 30 wounded when gunfire erupted at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio in Dadeville, a small town about 60 miles northeast of Montgomery, as CrimeOnline previously reported.

The dead were identified as 18-year-old Phil Dowdell, a star athlete at Dadeville High and brother of the birthday girl; 17-year-old KeKe Smith, a former athlete now manager of teams at Dadeville High; 19-year-old Siah Collins, a recent graduate pursuing a music career; and 23-year-old Corbin Holston, a 2018 graduate of Dadeville High.

According to NBC News, four people were still hospitalized in critical condition on Wednesday.

Investigators have released no information about a possible motive for the shooting or said what kind of weapons were used.

“There’s an uncut cake and unburnt 16 candles that never got lit,” Fifth Judicial Circuit District Attorney Mike Segrest said at the news conference. “Lexi’s [Alexis Dowdell] brother was one of the victims. On her 16th birthday party, she knelt by her brother as he took his last breath. That’s what we’re dealing with.”

Party DJ Keenan Cooper said the shooting started about an hour after someone with a gun was denied entry to the party.

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[Featured image: L-R, KeKe Smith, Corbin Holston, Phil Dowdell, and Siah Collins/Facebook]