One person is dead and 11 were injured during a shooting at a North Carolina house party Sunday. Authorities say at least 80 shots were fired across multiple properties by potentially more than one shooter. No arrests have yet been made.
The violence broke out around 12:45 a.m. on Walnut Acres Drive in the Mountain View community of southwest Catawba County, about seven miles south of Hickory, The Associated Press reported.
The shooting occurred during a large house party attended by as many as 100 people, many of whom were reported to be high school students, according to law enforcement officials.
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The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office identified the deceased as 58-year-old Shawn Patrick Hood, a resident of Lenoir. Hood was pronounced dead at the scene. His connection to the party or the shooters has not been made public.
Of the 11 others injured, at least one person was in critical condition as of Sunday afternoon, WBTV reported. Seven of the wounded remained hospitalized late Sunday, while authorities have not released the names or specific ages of the victims.
The victims ranged in age from 16 to 58.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as guests scrambled for cover and ran to their vehicles to escape the gunfire, WLOS reports. Some of the injured sustained wounds while fleeing.
Law enforcement officials believe more than one shooter was involved. Multiple weapons were used, though investigators have not disclosed the types.
Maj. Aaron Turk of the sheriff’s office confirmed that at least one long weapon was believed to have been used. Shell casings continued to be recovered as of late Sunday, and the total number of shots fired may rise.
The crime scene stretched across several properties in the residential neighborhood and spanned approximately two acres, including both indoor and outdoor areas, according to AP.
Investigators said the party was held in a home in a normally quiet neighborhood and that the property was known to authorities due to a noise complaint earlier in the evening.
Turk said deputies had responded to the noise complaint roughly two hours before the shooting. However, investigators do not believe the complaint was related to the motive behind the shooting.
A neighbor who was woken up by the gunfire told WBTV the gathering appeared to be a pool party.
“I heard a lot of shots going off and people running to the front,” the witness told the outlet. “I ain’t ever seen anything like this; it was like a movie.”
The FBI is assisting in the investigation with a specialized evidence response team. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Hickory Police Department are also involved.
As of Sunday evening, no arrests had been made The sheriff’s office said Sunday afternoon that it is still working to establish a motive and identify the individuals responsible. Authorities indicated that the gunfire came from varying distances.
No specific information had been released regarding suspects, and officials did not offer details on whether they believed the shooters had targeted any individuals or fired indiscriminately.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office has urged anyone who attended the party or has knowledge of the incident to come forward.
The investigation remains active.
