A high school football star who was among the four people killed in the mass shooting in Dadeville, Alabama, on Saturday night died while saving his sister’s life.

Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, pushed his sister Alexis Dowdell to safety when the gunfire erupted at her “Sweet 16” birthday party at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio in downtown Dadeville.

“I guess he tried to push me out the door as fast as he could, but I ended up slipping on blood, because it was a whole bunch of blood on the floor,” Ms Dowdell told the Associated Press.

KeKe Nicole Smith, 17, Marsiah Collins, 19, and Corbin Holston, 23 , have been named as the other three victims of the shooting, which left a further 28 people injured.

Of the wounded, 15 are understood to be teenagers, six of whom have since been discharged from hospital. Of the remaining nine, four are said to be in stable condition and five are critical.

“It was a very sad, sad scene,” said Ben Hayes, senior pastor at Dadeville First Baptist Church . “A very rough night.”

No arrests have been made but the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency says its investigation is ongoing.

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• Gun violence at ‘Sweet 16’ party leaves four dead, 28 injured

  The shooting left her 18-year-old brother, Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, and three others dead, along with another 28 injured, some critically.

  “I got on my knees and he was laying face down. And that’s when I grabbed him. I turned him over, I was holding him,” Alexis told Associated Press.

  “I wasn’t crying at the moment because I was trying to be strong instead of panicking. And so I said, ‘You’re going to be all right. You’re a fighter, you’re strong.”

  Alexis said she dove to the floor near the DJ as the crowd began to run.

  She “didn’t know where to run,” in part because shots seemed to come from multiple directions.

  When there was a break in the gunfire, Alexis bolted for the front door. But someone pushed her. It was her brother, trying to protect her, she said.

  “I guess he tried to push me out the door as fast as he could, but I ended up slipping on blood, because it was a whole bunch of blood on the floor,” she added.

  06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

  Alabama officials continued investigating a weekend shooting that killed four and injured 28 at a teenager’s birthday party.

  Victims include Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, and Shaunkivia Nicole “Keke” Smith, 17, who were identified by family members.

  Also unclear is who may have started the shooting and why, or whether investigators have made any arrests.

  Sgt Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency did not take questions during news conferences. Officials repeatedly asked others to come forward with information on the shooting.

  More here.