One of the 4 people killed in a deadly shooting at a birthday party on Saturday in Dadeville, Alabama, was Phil Dowdell, a high school footballer, the authorities have revealed.
The shooting took place at a birthday party around 10:30 p.m. according to Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, The motive behind the shooting is not clear and neither is whether a suspect is yet in custody. “There were four lives tragically lost in this incident and there’s been a multitude of injuries,” Burkett said during a news conference.
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According to some media outlets as many as 20 people may have been shot at the party.
Who was Phil Dowdell?
Phil Dowdell is a Dadeville football player who had recently committed to Jacksonville State University to play wide receiver. According to Ben Hayes, the senior pastor at Dadeville First Baptist Church, and team chaplain of Dadeville High School, who is also the chaplain of Dadeville police, the birthday party where the incident took place was Dowdell’s sister’s event.
“It was a very sad, sad scene,” he said. “A very rough night.”
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On April 8, Dowdell posted on Facebook, “Everyday my life go up & up, it’s hard for me to get mad.” Michael Taylor, the assistant coach in football, basketball, and track at Dadeville High visited the scene of the crime. He revealed that Dowdell was a slot receiver and “one of the best football players in the state.”
“It’s a small town. We don’t have too many crimes like this, at all. So it’s shocking, very shocking. Very shocking,” Taylor said.
According to Hayes, there seems to be some argument that turned into a shooting. No other details were revealed by him regarding the incident. “This is a good family in our community, good kids,” Hayes said. “Some of the best people heading this party.”