At least two people were killed in a mass shooting at a park in Winston-Salem on Monday morning, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said, according to CNN.
The shooting occurred at Leinbach Park on Robinhood Road, near Jefferson Middle School.
The incident triggered a major police operation after a planned fight between young people escalated into gunfire near a middle school.
“What we have confirmed at this point is that two juveniles agreed to meet at the park to fight,” Winston-Salem Police Assistant Chief Jake Swaim said, CNN reported.
Police said multiple people opened fire during the confrontation, but the number of victims was still unclear as of Monday afternoon.
Authorities said several victims and suspects had been identified, with some believed to be juveniles. No arrests had been made by noon, while officers continued using drones to search the area for others involved.
“This is an isolated incident and remains under active investigation,” the Winston-Salem Police Department said.
The nearby school was briefly placed under lockdown until the area was declared secure.
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The shooting came less than 24 hours after a separate tragedy in Shreveport, where police say 31-year-old Shamar Elkins killed eight children, including seven of his own, in what authorities described as a domestic violence rampage, BBC reported.
Two women, including the children's mother, remain in critical condition.
“This is a tragic situation, maybe the worst tragic situation we've ever had in Shreveport,” Mayor Tom Arceneaux said.
Police spokesperson Chris Bordelon described the attack as “entirely a domestic incident.”
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