Alabama shooting: 3 teenagers and a 23-year-old among victims

Three teenagers and a 23-year-old are among those killed after a deadly shooting at a teenager's birthday party in Alabama on Saturday.

Twenty-eight more were injured, authorities said, some critically.

Among the fifteen teenagers who were treated at a local hospital - all of whom had sustained gunshot wounds - nine have been transferred to other facilities.

Police have not disclosed any details about suspects or a possible motive.

Here is what we know about the victims:

The oldest of three siblings, Philstavious Dowdell was killed while attending his sister Alexis' 16th birthday at Mahogany's Masterpiece dance studio in Dadeville, Alabama, a small close-knit town of roughly 3,000.

Kenan Cooper, the DJ at the party whose music was silenced by gunfire, described him as "kind of like the hometown hero".

He was a star athlete on his high school's American football team and was due to graduate to go to Jacksonville State University on a sports scholarship.

One of his friends who played with him on the school football team told the BBC: "Phil to me was an amazing friend. God's got an angel."

Jacksonville's head coach, Rich Rodriguez, said in a statement on Sunday that Mr Dowdell was "a great young man with a bright future."

Mr Dowdell's mother is also reported to have been injured in the incident.

His grandmother, Annette Allen, told the Montgomery Advertiser local newspaper: "He was a very, very humble child. Never messed with anybody. Always had a smile on his face."

His sports coach at the local high school, Roger McDonald, described him as an outstanding young man.

"Everybody loved Phil. He always had a smile on his face. He always spoke to everyone. He was the ideal kid that you want to coach. He wasn't just a great athlete. He was a great kid," he told the paper.

Shaunkivia Smith also had a background in athletics and was reported by local media to have played volleyball and softball. However, a knee injury during her junior year cut her career short.

She served as a manager of the basketball and track and field teams during her final year at high school.

She, too, had her eyes on college before she was shot and killed, and had planned on attending the University of Alabama, Ms Smith's cousin told CNN.

"She was full of love," Michael Taylor, the school's coach, told local news. "Just like Phil, she was very very humble and she had this huge smile like Phil had. She would joke around all the time, and she got onto all of us — even me. She was just full of life."

On social media, a friend of Ms Smith called her the "sweetest person ever".

"i just can't believe this. not now &' probably not ever. i miss you so much already. it'll never be the same , i love you." Brooke Bowden wrote on her Facebook page.

Marsiah Collins had his heart in music.

The teenager graduated from high school last year but delayed going to college to focus on developing his music career, his father, Martin Collins, told AL.com.

He described his son as a funny, charismatic kid who was a great big brother to his siblings.

Martin Collins, who is himself a law student at Louisiana State University, said his son was soon to join him there as an undergraduate this fall.

The two were arranging living together for the upcoming school year, he said.

"I don't know what to say about this situation," said the teenager's father.

"From Saturday night, I didn't sleep at all until midday yesterday, because I just couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it. I can't accept it."

Corbin Holston graduated from Dadeville High School in 2018, according to social media posts.

His mother, Janett Heard, told local news Mr Holston did not attend the party but went there to check on a family member who feared trouble was brewing.

"Out of concern for other family members, Corbin responded to the party to ensure their safety but unfortunately encountered the suspects,'' Ms Heard said.

"Corbin was selfless when it can to his family and friends and always tried to be a protector. That's just the type of person he was."