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5th person arrested in Alabama birthday party shooting that killed 4

Written by on April 21, 2023

(DADEVILLE, Ala.) — Five people, including three teenagers, have been arrested in connection with a deadly shooting at a birthday party in Alabama over the weekend where four victims were killed and 32 others were injured.

The most recent arrest was 19-year-old Willie George Brown Jr. of Auburn. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced Thursday that he’s been charged with four counts of reckless murder.

Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16, both of Tuskegee, were each charged with four counts of reckless murder on Tuesday. They have both been charged as adults.

Wilson LaMar Hill Jr., 20, of Auburn, was arrested on Wednesday and also charged with four counts of reckless murder. Johnny Letron Brown, 20, of Tuskegee, was arrested and formally charged with four counts of reckless murder on Thursday, according to the ALEA.

Four victims are still in the hospital in critical condition.

The shooting took place at a crowded birthday party in the small town of Dadeville, located approximately 60 miles northeast of Montgomery, according toauthorities.

“Make no mistake, this is Alabama and when you pull out a gun, and you start shooting people, we’re gonna put you in jail,” Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Sgt. Jeremy Burkett said at a press conference Wednesday.

Officials said they are still in the early stages of the investigation and more charges will be coming. Officials asked anyone who has information or was present at the shooting to come forward.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Mike Segrest, district attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit of Alabama. “We’re going to make sure every one of those victims has justice and not just the deceased.”

Officials did not reveal whether they have identified a motive for the shooting.

One of the victims killed in the shooting — 18-year-old Philstavious Dowdell — was attending his sister’s 16th birthday party, according to Segrest.

“There were so many kids in this venue and what they saw, they’re victims in this. Their families are victims of this,” Segrest said at a press conference Wednesday.

In addition to Dowdell, the three others killed in the shooting were identified as 23-year-old Corbin Dahmontrey Holston, 19-year-old Marsiah Emmanuel Collins and 17-year-old Shaunkivia Nicole Smith.

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