The incident transpired at Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio shortly after 10:30 p.m. local time during a Sweet 16 party. Ivy Creek Healthcare's marketing director, Heidi Smith, disclosed that Lake Martin Community Hospital, which is managed by Ivy Creek, attended to a minimum of 15 gunshot victims.
Smith stated that no fewer than 17 ambulances were dispatched to the location. Some victims received treatment and were discharged from Lake Martin Community Hospital, while several others were transported to different hospitals, including a Birmingham trauma center, via air.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency acknowledged "multiple injuries" in their statement and confirmed the launch of an investigation at the behest of Dadeville's police chief. As of Sunday morning, the authorities had not disclosed any information regarding the motive or the number of suspects.
Annette Allen revealed that her granddaughter was celebrating her 16th birthday when the shooting took place. Allen's grandson, a high school sportsman, was killed in the shooting, while her daughter sustained injuries and was hospitalized.
Allen spoke to Troy Public Radio, a member station of NPR, saying, "This is a small community and they just wanted to enjoy the birthday party." She further recounted the distressing experience of waiting for bodies to be removed from the scene.
Dadeville is a modest city with a population of about 3,000 residents, situated an hour's drive away from Montgomery, the state capital.
Dadeville Police Chief, Jonathan Floyd, depicted the town as a "tightknit community full of wonderful people" during a Sunday morning press conference.
Raymond Porter, the superintendent of Tallapoosa County Schools, announced that counselors would be present at different campuses to offer support to students in the wake of the tragedy, emphasizing that children would bear the brunt of the incident.
Porter added, "This does not represent our community or our children."
While the authorities have not yet disclosed any details about the victims or their ages, the shooting highlights the ongoing issue of gun violence, as firearms have become the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. In 2020, gun violence surpassed car accidents as the top cause of death for individuals 19 years old or younger.
The Gun Violence Archive, an independent organization, reports 163 mass shootings in the U.S. this year, excluding the Dadeville incident. The group defines a mass shooting as any event with four or more victims, not counting the shooter. The Dadeville shooting occurred less than a week after another tragic incident in Louisville, Kentucky, where a gunman killed five people and injured nine others at a bank.
The White House reported that President Joe Biden has been briefed on the Dadeville shooting and that his team has been in contact with local authorities, offering support and closely monitoring the situation.
On Sunday morning, Governor Kay Ivey expressed her grief over the Dadeville events on Twitter but did not provide further details.
Ivey tweeted, "This morning, I grieve with the people of Dadeville and my fellow Alabamians. Violent crime has NO place in our state, and we are staying closely updated by law enforcement as details emerge."
