Dadeville shooting victim shares the details from her friend’s birthday party

DADEVILLE, Ala. (WTVM) - The latest in Dadeville, Alabama where authorities continue to search for answers.

Police have said they have “strong leads” in the investigation into the shooting but at this hour still no word on an arrest as of April 18. They now say the number of people injured in the mass shooting at the sweet 16 birthday party is up to 32 and the death toll stands at 4.

News Leader 9 spoke with a young girl who was there the night of the birthday party.

“I just feel like I will never go to a party again.”

Bre Hutchinson, a shooting victim who attended her friend Alexis Dowdell’s sweet 16 birthday party, says life will never be the same for her.

“When she made that announcement about anyone having guns, I wish I would have left.”

Hutchinson says there was a rumor that someone at the party may have a gun - that prompted the birthday girl’s cousin to get the DJ to cut the music. The lights were turned on and the dancing stopped - she made an announcement saying anyone that had a weapon, they need to leave.

“I just ran when I heard gunshots”

Later in the night, four lives were taken and 32 people were injured.

“Everybody went back to partying and like singing songs and stuff and like that’s when we heard gunshots, and everybody started to run and like get on the floor and then the guns stopped for like 5 seconds and they started back up and that’s when I got hit.”

The young teen says the bullet still lays in her stomach as doctors were unable to remove it. She is also unable to walk due to losing some feeling in her legs.

“I was yelling because I wanted someone to help me and I was grabbing onto somebody’s shirt and yelling for help but they wouldn’t help... they just ran out the door. I know there was nobody but God to help me gain strength and go outside.”

Hutchsinson says when she finally made it out the door, she collapsed and called 911. When operators asked what her emergency was words were unable to leave the girl’s mouth as she laid there in shock.

“The whole thing traumatized me and scared me so much.”

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