6th Suspect Arrested in Deadly Alabama ‘Sweet 16’ Shooting

A 15-year-old Alabama boy has been arrested in connection with the Dadeville birthday party shooting that left four people dead and wounded 32, bringing the total number of suspects arrested to six.

The 15-year-old, arrested on Thursday, has not yet been named but will be charged as an adult, WTVM reported. Like the previous five suspects, he has been charged with four counts of reckless murder. He is currently being held in a juvenile detention center while the other five suspects are at the Tallapoosa County Jail.

The shooting took place at Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio in Dadeville, a small town about 60 miles northeast of Montgomery, as CrimeOnline previously reported. The shooting erupted at about 10:30 p.m. on April 15.

The four killed were identified as Phil Dowdell, 18; KeKe Smith, 17; Siah Collins, 19; and Corbin Holston, 23. Dowdell’s sister was celebrating her “Sweet 16” at the party.

L-R, KeKe Smith, Corbin Holston, Phil Dowdell, and Siah Collins/Facebook

Previously arrested were brothers Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16, both of Tuskegee; Wilson LaMar Hill Jr, 20, of Auburn; Willie George Brown Jr, 19, of Auburn; and Johnny Letron Brown, 20, of Tuskegee. The McCullough brothers are also being charged as adults.

Investigators, led by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, have not disclosed a motive for the shooting.

Mike Segrest, district attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit of Alabama, said that he believes these six are all of those responsible for the shooting, WBMA reported. He said that additional charges will be presented to a grand jury related to those wounded in the shooting. Four of those victims were still hospitalized on Friday.

Segrest also said the suspects will stand for a bond hearing on Tuesday, and evidence will be presented at that hearing.

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[Featured image: L-R, Travis McCullough, Wilson Hill Jr, Ty Reik McCullough, Johnny Brown, and Willie Brown Jr/Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office]