Two men have been killed and 35 people injured after gunfire broke out at a large homecoming block party in Vienna, Georgia, in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Dooly County Sheriff’s Office deputies were patrolling the gathering when shots were reported at about 1.25am on Pine Street. Officers found several people suffering from gunshot wounds and discovered the two deceased victims in the 600 block, several streets away from where the shooting began.
The dead men were aged 20 and 23, according to Dooly County Coroner Brett Walls. Their names have not been released, although their families have been informed.
Georgia block party shooting investigation
More than 1,000 people were believed to have been attending the unofficial event, which coincided with local high school homecoming celebrations. More than 50 shots were fired at two locations around a block apart, according to Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy.
The injured were taken to hospitals across the region. Authorities have not provided details about the severity of their injuries or confirmed how many were struck directly by gunfire.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Dooly County Sheriff’s Office, which requested support after the shooting. Investigators have not announced any arrests or identified a possible motive.
The two men who died will undergo post-mortem examinations at the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office. Once the investigation is complete, the case will be referred to the Cordele Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the GBI’s regional investigative office in Perry on 478-987-4545. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS or through the bureau’s online tip service and See Something, Send Something app.
