America’s gun culture is a hole in mama’s heart
“Somebody’s got to start thinking about mama.” – Sgt. Jeremy Burkett, ALEA
Dadeville police have been criticized for their lack of transparency and being too tightlipped in communicating their investigation of the mass shooting at a Sweet 16 birthday party where four people were killed and 32 were injured this past Saturday night.
Dadeville is one of those “it can’t happen here” small towns in Alabama. They’re trying to get the hard parts right on the first try.
Related: Dadeville birthday party shooting: 2 teen brothers arrested for reckless murder – al.com
In announcing the arrest of two, and later a third suspect in the shooting, Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency may have been in a little over his head in Wednesday’s press conference, but he had a moment or two.
“There is a tremendous amount of work to do. We’re going to be careful with everything we say and everything we do. We’re going to stay focused on the victims and their families,” said Sgt. Burkett.
Related: Dadeville reacts to arrests in deadly shooting: ‘Children killing children’ – al.com
Related: Dadeville shooting: Hearts broken, dreams shattered by gun violence at birthday party – al.com
“If you were at the venue that night and you have not come forward, please hear me. I absolutely want you to do that. We need you to come forward for these families. For these victims. Make no mistake. This is Alabama – when you pull out a gun and start shooting people, we’re going to put you in jail,” Burkett said.
“Somebody’s got to start thinking about mama. I know I’m tired of it and everybody behind me is tired of it. We’re tired of going to the mothers and having to tell them that these kids are not coming home,” Burkett added.
Yes, Sgt. Burkett. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death among Alabama children. Somebody’s got to start thinking about the holes in mama’s heart.
Related: Gun violence is now the leading cause of death among Alabama children
More from Robinson’s report:
Two teenage brothers have been charged with four counts of reckless murder in the Saturday night shooting at a Dadeville birthday party that killed four young people and injured 32 others.
Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16, both of Tuskegee, have each been charged as adults with four counts of reckless murder.
The two were taken into custody abut 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Later on Wednesday, authorities announced that Wilson LaMar Hill Jr., 20, of Auburn, was taken into custody and charged with four counts of reckless murder.
Read all of Carol Robinson’s report here
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JD Crowe is the cartoonist for Alabama Media Group and AL.com. He won the RFK Human Rights Award for Editorial Cartoons in 2020. In 2018, he was awarded the Rex Babin Memorial Award for local and state cartoons by the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. Follow JD on Facebook, Twitter @Crowejam and Instagram @JDCrowepix.
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