A mass shooting at a party in Catawba County left one person dead and 11 others injured early Sunday morning.
The victim who died in the shooting was identified as 58-year-old Shawn Patrick Hood, of Lenoir. Hood’s next of kin have been notified, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office said in an updated news release on Sunday afternoon.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office and the Hickory Police Department responded to a report of a shooting that injured multiple people at a residence on Walnut Acres Drive in Mountain View at 12:45 a.m. Sunday, the sheriff’s office said.
Investigators use a metal detector to collect evidence at the scene of a mass shooting along Walnut Acres Drive in Mountain View on Sunday morning.
The sheriff’s office said one person was killed and another critically wounded. Some people were shot and others were injured while running from gunfire, the sheriff’s office said. Seven of the victims were still in area hospitals as of 6 p.m. Sunday, Catawba County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Aaron Turk said. The victims range from age 16 to 58.
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The sheriff’s office is working to determine a motive. Turk would not say if there are any suspects as of 8 a.m. Sunday. There appears to have been multiple shooters, Turk said.
About 100 people were at the party. Some were juveniles, Turk said.
During a press conference at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Turk said the crime scene spanned about 2 acres. Shots were fired in the house, in the front and backyard and in a neighboring yard, Turk said. Multiple weapons were used. The sheriff’s office is working to identify gun calibers, Turk said.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were at the scene of a mass shooting at a house party in Mountain View on Sunday.
Sunday afternoon, investigators were still collecting bullet shells. As of Sunday at 3:30 p.m., investigators have recovered more than 80 shell casings, Turk said.
Turk did not release what kinds of guns were used. He said some long guns were likely used. The sheriff’s office has interviewed at least 70 witnesses.
The sheriff’s office was called to the home earlier in the night for a noise complaint about loud music, but left after the music was turned down, according to Turk.
Turk said the sheriff’s office, Hickory police and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation would be on the scene into Sunday night. Dozens of police cars lined Huffman Farm Road and Walnut Acres Drive throughout the day.
The house along Walnut Acres Drive where 12 people were shot during a party early Sunday morning.
“My sincere condolences to the family, especially the one deceased, and also to the families that are affected,” Catawba County Sheriff Don Brown said. “I know a lot of people in this neighborhood. In fact, the house right beside where this incident happened, I’ve known them for most of my life. They’re visibly upset, shaken, horrified, because it happened right in their backyard. … I’m sorry. That’s all I can say, is, I’m sorry. We’re going to do everything in our power to find who’s responsible.”
A hearse pulls up at the scene of a mass shooting that killed one person and injured 11 more along Walnut Acres Drive in Catawba County.
Anyone with information concerning this shooting is asked to contact the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office at 828-464-3112.
Law enforcement vehicles lined the edges of Walnut Acres Drive and Huffman Road on Sunday. The Catawba County Sheriff's Office and multiple other agencies were at the scene of a mass shooting.
