A quiet neighbourhood in North Carolina, US, turned into a scene of chaos and terror early Sunday morning after gunfire erupted at a house party, leaving one person dead and 11 others injured. The violence unfolded just after 12:45 AM in Hickory, a city in Catawba County. According to the Sheriff’s Office, more than 80 rounds were fired as multiple shooters opened fire on a crowd of partygoers, reported news agency AP.
Authorities say around 100 people had gathered at a residence when the gunfire began. In the ensuing panic, terrified attendees, many of them high school students, ran for their lives, diving for cover and scrambling to escape the onslaught.
One individual remains in critical condition, while 10 others were hospitalised with serious injuries. As of now, no arrest has been made, and investigators believe more than one person was responsible for the shooting.
“This happened in a typically peaceful, residential part of the county,” said Major Aaron Turk of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office during a Sunday press conference.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and Hickory Police Department are leading the investigation, with support from the FBI. Officials have not yet released the names or ages of the victims.
