Authorities in Alabama asked people to come forward with information about a shooting that killed four people and injured 28 others during a teenager’s birthday party. The shooting happened in downtown Dadeville at around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, said Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, USA Today reports. Burkett did not identify a suspect but said the person is no longer a threat to the community. Burkett said 28 people sustained a "wide variety of injuries" during the shooting with some in critical condition. Fifteen teenagers were reportedly treated for gunshot wounds at Dadeville's Lake Martin Community Hospital.
Five of the hospitalized teens were in critical condition. Some victims were flown to a trauma center in Birmingham. The shootings rocked the city of 3,200 residents, 57 miles northeast of Montgomery. The gunfire erupted in Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio. Hundreds gathered Sunday afternoon at the First Baptist Church to pray and offer support to one another. Community members were seen hugging and holding onto one another. Teenagers gathered in knots, crying and wiping away tears. Pastor Ben Hayes, who serves as the chaplain for the Dadeville Police Department and for the local high school football team, said most of the victims were teens. He said the shooting occurred at a birthday party for a 16-year-old, and the violence has shaken the small town, where serious crime is rare.
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