Candy 16 DJ stated partygoers informed somebody had a gun forward of lethal Alabama capturing

Earlier than photographs rang out at an Alabama Candy 16 occasion Saturday night time — leaving four dead and 28 wounded — there have been rumors amongst party-goers that somebody in attendance had a gun, the occasion’s DJ stated.

“They talked about somebody had a gun,” DJ Keenan Cooper told local ABC affiliate station WBMA. “They stopped the occasion for a second, requested them to depart, no person left and the occasion continued.”

An hour later, at about 10:30 p.m., the gunman opened hearth contained in the downtown Dadeville dance studio.

The joyful celebration of about 40 to 50 individuals shortly became a chaotic and terrifying nightmare as party-goers ran for his or her lives.

Cooper stated he helped teenagers conceal beneath the desk the place he was doing his DJ set.

“I solely tried to assist who was in entrance of me, so I had lots of people beneath the desk and beside me attempting to guard them,” he informed the native station.

“After everyone ran out, I made certain they have been okay and that’s once I got here out and the police arrived.”

Two of the 4 useless have been identified as the older brother of the birthday girl and a highschool athlete. Phil Dowdell and KeKe Nicole Smith, each seniors at Dadeville Excessive College, have been killed.

Dowdell, the birthday lady Alexis’ brother, not too long ago dedicated to taking part in vast receiver at Jacksonville State College and was known as “the No. 1 athlete within the college” by Dadeville Excessive’s assistant soccer, basketball and monitor coach Michael Taylor.

Greater than two dozen individuals have been injured within the frantic scene, together with Dowdell’s mom, who was shot twice.

Police haven’t launched any data on the suspect within the mass capturing apart from to say the gunman is now not a risk to the neighborhood. They haven’t revealed any data on a attainable motive both.