It’s thought up to five have died after a mass shooting in small town Alabama – where a teen was reportedly holding a Sweet 16 birthday party.
The shooting happened around 10:30pm Saturday at Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio in Dadeville, Alabama, according to local reports. The majority of the at least 20 shot are believed to be teenagers.
Law enforcement have yet to release any details on the victims or a potential suspect – though witnesses reported people running and screaming from the scene.
The county’s coroner would not confirm whether any minors were among those killed, and declined to comment Sunday. An official told ABC 33/40 five were killed, and confirmed accounts that the group had been gathered to celebrate a birthday.
The shrouded shooting caused Dadeville, a tiny town of 3,000 an hour’s drive from Montgomery, to trend on social media, as families of those hospitalized were seen waiting Sunday morning for a more concrete update.
Meanwhile, a disturbing photo appearing to show victims lying on the ground of venue is currently circulating online – though its authenticity has yet to confirmed.
At least 20 people have been shot, some fatally, while attending a teenager’s birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama. Pictured: A police cordon outside Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio in Dadeville, Alabama after the shooting on Saturday night
Cops outside Mahogany Masterpiece where up to five people are thought to have been killed at a Sweet 16 party on Saturday night
Police line up Broadnax St. in Dadeville, Alabama where more than 20 people were injured in the shooting on Saturday night
On Sunday morning, the crime scene remained cordoned off – with a tarp hanging over the glass front door of the dance establishment on N. Broadnax Street.
Inside the establishment, onlookers reported seeing white sheets lining the floors, while photos showed police placards littering the front sidewalk.
The scene was still markedly less hectic then the night before, when an assortment of first responders descended on several blocks surrounding the dance studio.
Dadeville Police, the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office, and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation, and several others were among the several agencies seen at the scene.
It is unclear whether police have made any arrests – though victims were transported to local hospitals including Russell Medical Center in Alexander City for medical attention, according to witnesses.
A large crowd was seen outside the emergency room as casualties were rushed in, with many remaining there until the next morning as cops have yet to issue an update.
Details about the suspects or motives have not yet been released by the authorities – but Dadeville police chief Jonathan Floyd and Tallapoosa County Emergency Management director Jason Moran said Saturday there will be a press conference where more information will be provided.
However, as of Sunday, no such conference had occurred.
Marketing officials for Russell Medical told Alexander City Outlook they had received an influx of patients at roughly midnight Sunday, and had been issued an directive that they would be caring for several victims relating to the shooting shortly before.
‘At probably midnight, I was notified that we would be receiving patients into our hospital,’ Susan Foy told the paper.
‘And it would appear that we were going to have several patients coming. From what I understand, there were quite a few people involved. She added she could speak an exact number of victims, and would not confirm whether any fatalities had occurred.
Police said Saturday that a suspected altercation led to the shooting, but as of Sunday at 9am, have yet to offer up any specifics.
Dadeville is a town of just 3,000 people situated approximately 45 miles outside the state’s capital Montgomery.
This is a developing story.
A large crowd was seen outside the emergency room in Dadeville as casualties were rushed in