Two men have been killed and 35 people injured after gunfire broke out at a crowded homecoming block party in Vienna, Georgia, in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The shooting happened at about 1.25am on October 4 in the 900 block of Pine Street, where more than 1,000 people had gathered. Deputies from the Dooly County Sheriff’s Office were already patrolling the area because of the size of the crowd.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said officers found several people suffering from gunshot wounds before discovering two men who had been pronounced dead in the 600 block of Pine Street, several streets away.
The victims were identified as Ja’Quavion Aderious Jackson, 21, of Cordele, and Macaleb Malik Jackson, 23, of Hawkinsville. The 35 injured people, whose ages range from 14 to 51, are in conditions ranging from stable to critical.
Georgia block party shooting
Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy said more than 50 shots were fired at two locations roughly a block apart. As people fled in different directions, some were struck by vehicles, while others suffered gunshot wounds.
Emergency crews faced heavy traffic, a large crowd and further gunfire as they tried to reach the injured. Victims were taken to hospitals in Crisp County, Bleckley County, Perry and Macon.
“We don’t know if it’s coming at us or someone else,” Mr Peavy said. “You just have to keep doing what you’re doing and hope you don’t get hit by gunfire.”
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has activated six investigative units to help identify those responsible and establish what triggered the shooting. Investigators have not announced any arrests, suspects or possible motive.
Chris Hosey, the bureau’s director, said investigators were interviewing witnesses and following leads but did not want to speculate about the cause of the violence.
“The goal right now is to identify those involved and gather as much information as we can,” he said.
Vienna Mayor Eddie Daniels said the gathering had not been authorised by the city and took place about a block from his home. He said he saw emergency vehicles in the area but had not yet been briefed by investigators.
The shooting occurred during homecoming weekend for Dooly County High School, although education officials stressed that it was not a school-sponsored event.
Sherrod Willaford, superintendent of the Dooly County School System, said schools would open on Monday with additional safety measures and crisis support available for pupils, families and staff.
The GBI said the investigation remains active. Autopsies will be carried out on the two men who died before the completed case file is sent to the Cordele Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.
