A mass shooting at a Sweet 16 birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama on April 15 left a community in mourning. Four young people died and more than two dozen others were injured in the incident. Following the tragedy, local officials announced the arrest of two teenagers in connection to the massacre. Three more suspects have now been added to that list.
Johnny Letron Brown and Willie George Brown Jr. were arrested today (April 20) and charged with four counts of reckless murder. This follows two apprehensions made Tuesday (April 18) and one yesterday (April 19). Tyreese “Ty Reik” McCullough and Travis McCullough, both also from Tuskegee, were arrested on Tuesday while Wilson LaMar Hill Jr. was taken into custody the following day.
“All individuals arrested in connection to this death investigation have been charged with four counts of reckless murder, and they have been booked into the Tallapoosa County Jail with no bond,” a statement from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said, per NBC News. Even though Ty Reik and Travis are minors, Alabama law requires anyone 16 or older facing a homicide case to be tried as an adult.
Corbin Dahmontrey Holston, Marsiah “Siah” Emmanuel Collins, Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, and Shaunkivia “KeKe” Nicole Smith lost their lives in the senseless act of violence. Tragically, Phil is the brother of Alexis Dowdell, the birthday girl who was celebrating her Sweet 16 at a dance studio in Dadeville. She knelt by his side and begged him to stay breathing as his life slipped away.
One of Smith’s cousins, Amy Jackson, told the AP that the arrests don’t necessarily lessen the pain that she and other grieving families are going through. It does, however, bring some solace to know that the perpetrators are off the streets. “It don’t make the hurt any easier,” she said. “But we are relieved that [the suspects] are not out in the community.”