Phil Dowdell’s mother left with bullet wounds, broken heart, and questions
The Alabama mother who hosted her daughter’s Sweet 16 party that ended with four dead and 32 others wounded said she’s thankful for the five arrests made over the past 48 hours.
LaTonya Allen, whose 18-year-old son Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell was killed in the gunfire, said Thursday she doesn’t know any of the five charged and doesn’t think most of them were inside the party for her daughter, Alexis.
“I just remember one of those faces,’’ Allen said of the suspects. “The others may have been outside waiting. I just don’t know.”
Those charged with reckless murder and being held in the Tallapoosa County Jail are: 20-year-old Johnny Letron Brown of Tuskegee; 19-year-old Willie George Brown Jr. of Auburn; 20-year-old Wilson LaMar Hill Jr. of Auburn, and brothers Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16, of Tuskeegee.
The gunfire erupted at approximately 10:34 p.m. Saturday at Mahogany’s Masterpiece dance studio on North Broadnax Street in downtown Dadeville, one block from the courthouse.
Killed in the shooting besides Dowdell were Shaunkivia Nicole “Keke” Smith, 17, Marsiah Emmanuel “Siah” Collins, 19, and Corbin Dahmontrey Holston, 23.
Allen was among the 32 injured. She suffered gunshot wounds to her left thigh and her abdomen.
“The bullets are still in me,’’ Allen said Thursday.
The party drew kids from multiple communities including Dadeville, Tallassee, Pike Road and Reeltown.
Allen said she was made aware at some point during the party that someone in attendance might have a gun. She said she turned on the lights and used a microphone to the let partygoers know that if anyone had a gun, they needed to leave.
“Someone was saying there was somewhere there with a gun, but they acted like he was gone,’’ Allen said. “They didn’t describe the person or what he had on.”
Allen said she has no idea why the shooting happened.
Allen’s daughter previously said her brother died protecting her. She said she dove to the floor near the DJ as the dozens of revelers ran. She “didn’t know where to run,” in part because shots seemed to come from multiple directions.
When there was a break in gunfire, she bolted for the front door. But someone pushed her. It was her brother, trying to protect her.
Phil Dowdell, a senior at Dadeville High School committed to play college football at Jacksonville State, was an “outstanding young man,” veteran coach Roger McDonald told AL.com. The school on Thursday announced his memorial will be held in the school’s auditorium April 24.
A GoFundMe for Dowdell has raised more than $15,000.
Allen said she believes the arrests are soon coming to an end for now.
“I think they’re about done as of now,’’ she said. “I’m just glad it’s coming to an end.”
All five of the suspects are charged with reckless murder.
Under Alabama law, the crime of reckless murder is committed when a person recklessly engages in conduct which creates a grave risk of death to a person other than himself or herself and causes the death of another person.
Allen said she wished they had been charged with a more serious crime, but she’s confident justice will be served.
“I’m just glad they’re off the streets and they won’t harm anyone else’s kids or family,’’ she said. “I hope they get what they deserve.”