‘Planned fight’ ends in deadly shooting at North Carolina park
A residential neighbourhood was rocked by gunfire after a scheduled fight between two youths triggered a violent chain of events
A planned fight among young people escalated into a mass shooting at a North Carolina park Monday morning that left two teenage boys dead and five other people injured, authorities said.
Winston-Salem police Captain Kevin Burns said a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old died at the scene after being shot around 10am at Leinbach Park, near a middle school. Five others between the ages of 14 and 19 were shot and suffered injuries ranging from critical to minor, Burns said at a news conference. Four of those victims are female, officials said.
Officials said multiple people fired guns during the shooting. Winston-Salem police Chief William Penn said no one was in custody but authorities believe some of those injured may have also been involved in the shooting.
“I feel like everyone else. I’m frustrated, I’m angry, I’m sad. This didn’t have to happen,” Penn said.
Penn said he could not immediately answer whether the teens who died were the ones scheduled to fight. The police chief also said “no” when asked if it was known what the fight was about.
Officials said schools near the park were safe.