A late-night May Day celebration in Stockton, Alabama, ended in tragedy on May 11, 2024, when a shooting incident left three people dead and a minimum of 15 others wounded.
The deadly gunfire took place in a field in Stockton, a small town of approximately 400 residents, located around 30 miles northeast of Mobile, Alabama.
Authorities identified the deceased victims as Chiquita Ewing, a 37-year-old mother of four, Christian Bradley, aged 24, and Michael Anderson Jr., aged 19.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) disclosed that an argument amongst the approximately 1,000 attendees spiraled into the deadly shooting. Witnesses recounted the horror of multiple rounds fired into the crowd, causing mass panic.
“This is a tragic event that touches many lives in our community. We are working very hard to resolve this case, but we cannot make arrests or successfully prosecute the offenders without help,” said Captain Andre Reid of the BCSO.
Douglas Bolden, a regular attendee of the annual May Day event, described the terrifying scene: “There were kids lost and running into the woods. People were running for their lives,” recounting his experience of taking shelter under his camper after nearby gunfire shattered a truck window.
A suspect, Robert German Brown Jr, 24, from Mobile, Alabama, was taken into custody on charges of first-degree assault on Wednesday, May 15. Police say he’s responsible for shooting at least one person at the Mayday event. In court, the prosecution stated that the individual attacked by Brown was hit by gunfire four times. Meanwhile, Brown’s lawyer informed the court that Brown too received gunshot wounds at the scene. “Two gunshot wounds. He’s got those two gunshot wounds, one in his leg and one in his pelvis and he was just recently released from the hospital after this weekend’s incident, so he is up there. He’s in serious pain, injury,” defense attorney David Horton said after Brown’s bond hearing.
The BCSO suspects there could be multiple shooters involved and is actively pursuing leads. They appealed to witnesses for any information or visual evidence that might assist in identifying the culprits. “According to witnesses, the event was peaceful until an argument broke out, which led to at least one person firing multiple rounds into the crowd,” added Captain Reid.
In an effort to solve this case, local authorities are urging public support, emphasizing the crucial role of witness cooperation in such incidents.
An anonymous attendee painted a picture of the initial festive atmosphere filled with families and children, stating, “It was just a fun, family-oriented event until everything went wrong,” highlighting the shock and chaos following the sudden violence.
Expressing her grief, Martha Tims, a relative of victim Chiquita Ewing, told local media, “All of a sudden, I just kept hearing multiple gunshots, and everybody started running away. I turned around and saw it was my cousin. I just broke down; she was lying there unresponsive. … It was utter chaos.”
As the victims and their families grapple with the aftermath, authorities are offering support. Community leaders are advocating for unity and cooperation to prevent similar incidents in the future and ensure the safety of public events.
“This is a tragic event that touches many lives in our community,” Reid reiterated. “We are working hard to resolve this case, but we cannot do it alone.” The BCSO continues to encourage anyone with information to step forward, underlining the community’s crucial role in case resolution.
