Alabama security officer tackles teen shooting suspect
FAIRHOPE, Ala. June 4 2019
A youth dance at a small-town Rotary club turned into a fight, a shooting and a whole lot of chaos in South Alabama.
Fairhope Police released a statement that said that the event being held at the Rotary Youth Club the night of the shooting was a Young Kappa Dance, hosted by the Daphne Kappa League.
A 16-year-old was injured, and two teens were arrested after shooting at a party being held at a community youth club in Fairhope. The party was held at the Rotary Youth Club on Young Street.
Boys and Girls Club of South Alabama says the youth center in Fairhope is not affiliated with the Boys and Girls Club. It was a chartered location, but broke off from the organization ten years ago but never changed the signs on the building.
It was supposed to be a joyous occasion at the Rotary Youth Club Saturday night that quickly took a turn for the worse. “At that time, I was willing to just take a bullet if I had to take one to save somebody else’s life,” said Kenneth Mabien, a security officer working the party.
Mabien says a fraternity even was taking place at the community center. He said, “the event was going on nice and properly until some kid took some kind of metal object and threw it and hit a young lady upside her head.”
Mabien was one of 5 security guards working the event. He says once the girl was hurt, they shut the party down and started escorting the attendees outside. “That’s when fights just started breaking out,” he said.
He explained the security officers all tried to break up the fighting, but someone began shooting.
“There had to be 150, maybe 200 kids that was out there and I’m looking at this guy just wild, using a firearm like he was just out there with a garden hose spraying,” said Mabien.
Mabien says he started running towards the shooter. “I chased him through the cars, and he went running down a sidewalk and I ended up tackling him to the ground and I sat on him,” he said.
Two teens were arrested, Alan David York, 18, of Prichard and Travon Deanthony Jackson, 19, of Mobile. Fairhope police say both teens were arrested at the center and transported to the Fairhope Police Department. Both were then interviewed by investigators. Police say during the interviews, Jackson admitted to firing the weapon into the air while at the location, York was charged with Assault 1st, Reckless Endangerment, and Shooting into an occupied vehicle. Travon Deanthony Jackson was charged with Reckless Endangerment
The 16-year-old was treated and released from the hospital.
Mabien says he’s just glad no one else was hurt.
“There was so many innocent kids out there, still had their whole life to live,” he said.
The Rotary Youth Club says the venue was rented out, and the party was not affiliated with the club. They plan to discuss this at their next board meeting.
