County cracks down on house parties after deadly shooting

Published 2:58 pm Saturday, November 2, 2019

Authorities in an east Alabama county say they’re cracking down on house parties after a teenager died in a shooting.

Etowah County Sheriff Jonathon Horton says officers will be keeping a closer watch on large gatherings following a party that ended in the killing of 18-year-old Kalab Blake Whitworth.

Horton says more than 100 people were at party last weekend when a scuffle occurred. What’s described as a random gunshot wounded a Crossville woman and killed Whitworth.

The sheriff and District Attorney Jody Willoughby told a news conference that such gatherings won’t be tolerated. Horton says another party was planned at the same location this weekend.

Whitworth was awaiting trial in a 2018 slaying at the time of his death. A man is now charged with murder in his death.