A young girl’s “sweet sixteen” birthday party took a horrifying turn in Alabama on Saturday night, when it became the scene of a mass shooting. At least 4 people, including the girl’s brother, a beloved local athlete, were reported killed.

According to the most recent media briefing by local law enforcement, 28 people, mostly teenagers, were injured in the incident. The shooting took place at 10:30 P.M. local time at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio in Dadeville, located in Tallapoosa County.

The town is home to just about 3,000 people and on Sunday morning, in the first media briefing since the incident, Dadeville Police Chief Johnathan Floyd described it as “tightknit community full of wonderful people.” He told mediapersons, “What we’ve dealt with is something that no community should have to endure,” and urged, “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.”

Alabama Governor tweeted, “This morning, I grieve with the people of Dadeville and my fellow Alabamians. Violent crime has NO place in our state, and we are staying closely updated by law enforcement as details emerge.”

However, no information about the suspects or motive behind the attack has come to light so far. At 5 P.M on Sunday, the local law enforcement authorities held another press conference and confirmed that 4 people were killed, and the number of injured stands at 28, some of whom remain critical. They also urged anyone with any information to come forward.

*Feature Image: Stock image used for representation.