Sheriff: 11 teens wounded in Macon skatepark mass shooting; no arrests as investigators seek suspects
Sept. 27 (UPI) -- A late-night shootout between rival groups at a skatepark in Macon, Ga., left 11 teenagers injured, two of them in critical but stable condition, Bibb County Sheriff David Davis said Sunday.
The gunfire broke out about 12:06 a.m. EDT Sunday at Carolyn Crayton Park, authorities said, sending victims to a local hospital in private vehicles and prompting a lockdown of the emergency room as deputies scrambled to determine what had happened.
Davis told reporters at a news conference that the wounded ranged in age from 17 to 18. Four were 18-year-old males, five were 17-year-old males and two were 18-year-old females, he said. A 17-year-old and an 18-year-old remained in critical but stable condition with gunshot wounds; the other teenagers were hospitalized in stable condition.
According to early findings, a large group of teens partying near the skatepark was approached by a second group from across the street. The two groups exchanged words, brandished firearms and opened fire on each other, Davis said.
As deputies headed to the park, dispatchers began receiving reports that wounded people were arriving at a local hospital in their own vehicles. The hospital’s emergency room was placed on lockdown in response.
Investigators impounded seven personal vehicles, including four that had been used to take victims to the hospital, and sent them to a crime lab for processing. No arrests had been reported by Sunday, Davis said.
The victims included students from several local high schools, the sheriff said. He expressed anger that minors had been armed, suggesting some adults may have known about the weapons.
“I’m going to tell you what’s the truth,” Davis said. “I’m thinking, when we find out who did this — and we’re going to find out who did it — I’ll guarantee you there’s some adult loved ones or some guardians who knew they had guns.”
“Not a doubt in my mind,” he added. “If we can charge any adult in connection with this, we’re going to do that, too.”
Davis struck a measured tone about the outcome, saying the fact that no one was killed offered a measure of relief.
“The good news is that these 11 individuals here, they’re not dead, and we hope that the good news continues to be that they continue to recover, and that we pray for them, and that they and their families can find some comfort through all of this,” he said.
Investigation and broader concerns
The shooting is likely to intensify local scrutiny of youth gun access and violence prevention in Macon and Bibb County, where the park is a familiar recreation spot. It also raises questions about how a dispute among teenagers escalated into a mass shooting and whether adults could face criminal responsibility if weapons were improperly accessible.
Authorities urged anyone with information to contact the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office at 478-751-7500 or 478-310-5112, or Macon Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-877-68CRIME.