Alabama Authorities Say 89 Shots Were Fired During Crowded Sweet 16 Party That Killed Four Young People

Alabama authorities have released additional information on a shooting that killed four young people and injured dozens during a Sweet Sixteen birthday party.

The lead investigator testified in court that 89 bullet casings and other evidence were found at the bloody and chaotic scene. Authorities have charged six people—three adults and three juveniles—with reckless murder.

The judge will rule if three adults accused in last week’s shooting will be held without bond.

The three juveniles will have separate hearings, Fox 5 Atlanta News reported.

“Multiple shell casings. Blood everywhere,” Special Agent Jess Thornton said, adding that the crime scene was like nothing he’d encountered in his 18 years with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Thornton also testified that investigators found shell casings from four types of handguns at the scene, which happened to be a dance studio nearby the town square in Dadeville.

Evidence suggests that at least one handgun had been altered for rapid fire.

“Witnesses said it sounded like a machine gun,” he added.

Investigators have not discussed a motive or what they believe led to the shooting.

However, authorities have said the six defendants are relatives or friends and were not invited to the party but traveled from Auburn and Tuskegee to attend it. 

Five of the six defendants admitted to being at the party and firing guns. However, the sixth suspect did not admit to being there, but his co-defendants said he was there and fired a gun. Thornton also said at least five of the six met after the party at a parking lot in a nearby city. 

Wilson LaMar Hill Jr., 20; George Brown Jr., 19, both of Auburn; and Johnny Letron Brown, 20, of Tuskegee, are the three adults accused in the shooting.

George Bulls, a defense lawyer for Willie Brown, suggested that one of the slain partygoers had fired first. Bulls asked the state investigator if he was given statements about one of the deceased individuals, Corbin Holston, being the one who started the shooting. Thornton replied that was true. 

Holston, 23, of Dadeville, was found with a 40-caliber gun sitting on his chest. Thornton said the gun’s position, which had been fired, struck him as odd. “Almost like it was placed there,” Thornton added.

Thornton said there were about 50 to 60 people crammed inside the party venue when the gunfire erupted. 

Two Dadeville High School seniors, Phil Dowdell, 18, and Shaunkivia Nicole “KeKe” Smith, 17, were killed. Also killed were Marsiah Emmanuel “Siah” Collins, 19, and Holston, 23.