Two Dead, Multiple Injured in Urgent Halloween Party Shootings

URGENT UPDATE: A tragic shooting at a Halloween party in Maxton, North Carolina, has left two people dead and 13 others critically injured. The violence erupted around 1:15 a.m. on October 28, 2023, during a gathering that drew over 300 attendees to a rural home, located approximately 95 miles southwest of Raleigh near the South Carolina border.

According to Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins, the incident appears to have stemmed from a confrontation between two groups at the event. The victims include a 16-year-old boy and a 47-year-old man, whose identities have not yet been released. The sheriff confirmed that one of the injured individuals was airlifted to a hospital for urgent care, while others are receiving treatment at local facilities.

Witnesses reported chaos as more than 150 attendees fled the scene before law enforcement arrived. Sheriff Wilkins stated, “There’s a lot of interviews taking place, but apparently there was a confrontation between a couple of groups of people and then gunfire between those two started,” when speaking to WBTW-TV. No arrests have been made as of Saturday afternoon, but authorities are pursuing multiple persons of interest related to the shootings.

The sheriff’s office revealed that the gathering did not have the necessary permits, as the number of attendees was below the local threshold that would have mandated security measures. This lack of oversight may have contributed to the unfolding violence.

Authorities are actively investigating the incident and are urging anyone with information to come forward. As the situation develops, this tragic event raises serious concerns about safety at large gatherings and the need for stricter regulations to prevent such violence.

Stay tuned for further updates as this story develops.