CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — A Catawba County shooting early Sunday left one man dead and at least 11 others injured when gunfire broke out during a packed house party, authorities said. The shooting happened around 12:45 a.m. at a home in Mountain View, roughly 60 miles northwest of Charlotte, according to the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office.
Crime Scene Spans Two Acres, Over 80 Shots Fired
At a Sunday afternoon news conference, Maj. Aaron Turk of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Department revealed that more than 80 shots were fired during the incident. The crime scene, estimated to cover about two acres, was still being processed by investigators.
“Our investigation indicates more than one shooter was involved,” Turk said. “We are still working to determine when they arrived, how they arrived, and what their motive was.”
Turk confirmed that the shooting took place at a party attended by as many as 100 people. Nearly two hours before the gunfire, deputies had responded to the residence following a noise complaint, but the partygoers had complied by lowering the music volume. Authorities said they found no evidence linking the shooting to the earlier noise complaint.
Victims Include Local High School Students
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office identified the man killed as 58-year-old Shawn Patrick Hood of Lenoir, North Carolina. Of the 11 others injured, one was reported in critical condition, and several remained hospitalized as of Sunday afternoon.
Local witnesses told media that many at the party were local high school students. One teenage partygoer described the chaotic scene, saying, “As soon as I heard the shots, everybody started scattering off, ducking our heads, running toward our cars, toward safety. And I called my friend and he said, ‘Call 911. I need help.’”
Ongoing Investigation with Multiple Agencies
No arrests have been announced. Sheriff Donald G. Brown II said at the news conference that investigators from the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the Hickory Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were all working at the scene.
“I want everyone to know that we are going to work together tirelessly and diligently to identify the individuals who are responsible for this act,” Sheriff Brown emphasized.
As the investigation into the Catawba County shooting continues, authorities urge anyone with information to come forward to help identify the shooters and uncover the motive behind the deadly violence.
