At least four people were killed and multiple others left injured in a mass shooting that took place in a dance studio where teens gathered to celebrate a Sweet 16 birthday party in Alabama on April 15, according to reports.
The shooting is still being investigated.
The incident occurred about 10:34 p.m. Saturday near the 200 block of Broadnax Street in Dadeville, according to reports.
"There were four lives tragically lost in this incident and there’s been a multitude of injuries," Sergeant Jeremy Burkett with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said in a news conference on Sunday morning, the Associated Press reported.
Most of the victims were teenagers.
According to the Associated Press, the shooting occurred at a birthday party for a 16-year-old, and most of the victims were teens.
Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots and seeing people running and screaming from the building.
At this time, there hasn’t been an updated number on how many people were injured at the gathering, though initial numbers say there were at least 20 injured, The Hill reported.
Details on who was responsible or why the shooting happened haven’t been released yet.
Reports indicate that there has been no initial confirmation about what led to the shooting. It also was not immediately known if authorities have a suspect in custody.
During the news conference, Burkett urged anyone who knows something about the shooting to share it with authorities. "We've got to have information from the community," he said, according to the Associated Press.
The shooting has rocked the small, tight-knit city.
Dadeville Chief Dadeville Chief Jonathan L. Floyd spoke at a news conference April 16, talk to the community and asking for prayers, especially given the number of victims who were in critical or serious condition.
“What we’ve dealt with is something that no community should have to endure. I just ask for your patience. It’s going to be a long process, but I do earnestly solicit your prayers,” Floyd said.
“I also ask each of you please do not let this moment define what you think about the city of Dadeville and our fine people.”
This year has already seen more than 150 mass shootings in the United States.
Just four months into the year, and already 163 mass shootings have taken place, not including this deadly attack in Dadeville, according to the independent group Gun Violence Archive.
