Does this video show a crowd running from gunfire in Dadeville, Alabama, after a shooting at a birthday party on April 15, 2023? No, that's not true: This video footage of a large crowd running was filmed in Mobile, Alabama, on New Year's Eve 2023. The footage was posted on TikTok on January 1, 2023, by the man who filmed it. This footage was also featured in news coverage about the New Year's Eve incident.
The original footage was posted on TikTok on January 1, 2023, by @micaunleashed. He was interviewed by News 5 WKRG when his footage appeared in a segment posted on January 2, 2023, which was titled, "Viral TikTok video shows moments during downtown Mobile shooting." The video resurfaced with a misleading caption on April 16, 2023, when it was posted on Twitter (archived here) with text overlaying the video reading "Dadeville Alabama Shooting." The caption on one version said:
5 dead and multiple injured in mass shooting at a teenager's birthday party in Dadeville, AlabamaMASS SHOOTING DADEVILLE ALABAMA ,In a horrifying turn of events, a teenager's birthday party at the Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio in Dadeville, #Alabama newztunnel.com/2023/04/alabam
This is how the tweet appeared at the time of writing:
(Image source: Twitter screenshot taken on Mon Apr 17 16:37:52 2023 UTC)
In the composite image below, the video shot by @micaunleashed and posted on January 1, 2023, appears next to footage of the mounted police who were patrolling the area near the New Year's Eve celebrations when the shots rang out at about 11:15 p.m. This additional video titled, "One dead, 9 people hurt in shooting at downtown Alabama New Year's celebration" was aired by KENS 5 San Antonio and posted on YouTube on January 1, 2023. In both videos the distinctive illuminated streetlamps are the same style.
(Image source: Lead Stories composite image with TikTok and YouTube screenshots taken on Mon Apr 17 00:58:54 2023 UTC)
On April 16, 2023, there was a news conference held by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency in Dadeville, Alabama. The 5 p.m. update on the shooting the night before said four people had been killed and an additional 28 had been injured, several of whom were in critical condition. The shooting happened at 10:34 p.m. on April 15, 2023, at a birthday party that was being held at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio in Dadeville. Video of the press conference can be seen in an article posted by ABC Channel 8 WAKA.
