A 27-year-old man in Alabama has been arrested after allegedly getting into an argument and opening fire in the middle of a children’s dance recital, killing one and injuring another.
Marcus Deangelo Sanders was arrested over the weekend and charged with one count of murder in the death of Carl Williams III, a 27-year-old “girl dad” who was at the venue to see one of his daughters perform, authorities said.
According to a news release from the Mobile County Police Department, officers responded to the Saenger Theatre in the 100 block of South Joachim Street around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday after receiving multiple 911 calls reporting a shooting.
“Upon further investigation, officers discovered a dance recital was being held at the Saenger Theatre when a male subject was involved in an argument with a known individual inside of the building,” according to the news release. “It was discovered the subject shot the known male victim during the dispute, with a bullet also striking a second victim in the process.”
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to receive the most recent real-life crime stories directly to your inbox.
Authorities identified the shooter as Sanders, but he fled the scene on foot. Sanders, however, surrendered to authorities and was taken to Metro Jail late Sunday evening, where he was booked on the aforementioned murder charge.
“To bring this to a child’s dance recital is despicable,” Mobile Police Chief William Jackson said in a statement issued shortly after the shooting.
Mobile Mayor Sandy Simpson made similar disparaging remarks about the incident.
“It is shocking that anyone would bring a loaded gun to a child’s dance recital — and even more unimaginable that someone would fire a weapon in a crowded theater, just feet from where young children were performing on stage,” according to a statement he shared on Facebook. “No conflict, dispute, or disagreement is worth endangering so many people or subjecting children to such long-term trauma. “It’s disgusting.”
The Birmingham News reported that Williams was the father of two daughters, ages 5 and 6. He went to the Saenger Theatre that night to see them perform on stage.
Williams’ uncle, Keyon Williams, told the newspaper that his nephew was a former standout high school athlete who was “always supporting his daughters.” He described the victim as “a fun-loving, easy-going guy who wanted to see others succeed.”
Michelle Murphy, whose child was also performing on Sunday when the shooting occurred, spoke with Mobile Fox affiliate WALA about the incident.
“You could tell a little bit of a commotion broke out then adults started standing up,” according to her. “It only lasted a few seconds, but before my daughter’s father and his wife could say anything, they were fighting. There went the first round, and then three more.”
She and several others emphasized that Danze 101, the organization hosting the recital, handled the tragic situation with professionalism despite the chaos.
“They still made it a point to check on the kids,” she said of the organization.
