Georgia mass shooting: 35 injured, 2 dead after gunfire at block party

VIENNA, Ga. - A neighborhood block party turned into the scene of a deadly mass shooting in South Georgia, when gunfire killed two people and wounded 35 others early Sunday morning.

Georgia mass shooting

What we know:

A crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered for a planned homecoming block party following Friday night festivities. Around 1:25 a.m. Sunday, gunfire broke out near West Palm while deputies were stationed at both ends of the street to manage traffic. 

Deputies rushed toward the gunfire and found multiple people suffering from gunshot wounds. Deputies located two deceased victims in the 600 block of Pine Street. 

Two people died, and approximately 35 others suffered injuries from gunfire or were struck by cars as people fled the scene. 

First responders navigated thick traffic and ongoing gunfire a block away to reach victims, eventually transporting them to Crisp County Hospital, Bleckley Memorial Hospital, a hospital in Perry, and Atrium Health Navicent in Macon. 

Emergency personnel transported the 35 injured victims to several regional hospitals for treatment. 

Dooly County Coroner Brett Walls said the two men, ages 20 and 23, were pronounced dead at the scene with fatal gunshot wounds. He said multiple other people were also shot, calling the scene "horrific."

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation office out of Perry has taken control of the crime scene to process evidence and interview witnesses. 

Manhunt begins

What they're saying:

"Please turn yourself in, because we're doing everything we can to find out who you are," Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy said during a press conference on Sunday. 

Peavy said people were "going every direction" and that, even while officers were on the scene, more gunfire erupted about a block away.

"We don't know if it's coming at us or someone else," he said. "You just have to keep doing what you're doing and hope you don't get hit by gunfire."

"Our goal is to identify... anyone that may have information," GBI Special Agent in Charge Jerry Jones said. "They never know how critical that information may be." 

Vienna Mayor Eddie Daniels said the shooting was about a block from his house and he "saw a lot of blue lights." Daniels said he hadn't spoken with law enforcement officials yet and had no details about what had happened.

Daniels said the city hadn't issued any kind of permit for the block party, and he didn't know if it was a homecoming party.

Vienna echos of Macon mass shooting

Local perspective:

The block party was being held at the Dooley County Recreation Department's gym located in the 900 block of Pine Street in Vienna.

The incident took place over homecoming weekend for Dooly County High School. 

The shooting was not at a school-sponsored event, said Sherrod Willaford, superintendent of the Dooly County School System.

"We recognize that its impact may reach many of our students, families, and staff," he said in a statement. Schools will open Monday, he said, but additional safety measures have been put in place. He did not specify what they are.

Vienna is about 130 miles south of Atlanta and about a 50-mile drive south on the Interstate 75 corridor from the central Georgia city of Macon, where authorities say 12 teens were wounded by gunfire during a confrontation between people at a birthday party last week at a city park. 

Deputies found two people dead at the scene and multiple others who had been shot, officials said. Police did not specify how many of the 35 injured had been shot or provide any details about the injuries or their severity. The victims were taken to several hospitals for treatment, the GBI said.

Dooley County homecoming

The backstory:

The event was an unofficial homecoming block party that coincided with the local high school's festivities. 

Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy reported that over 1,000 people had gathered in the neighborhood for the outdoor weekend festivities. 

Pine Street investigation ongoing

What we don't know:

Authorities have not released the names or ages of the victims who were injured. Investigators have not identified any suspects or disclosed a possible motive for the shooting.

Authorities have not confirmed what triggered the violence or whether the incident was connected to earlier homecoming events. 

GBI asked to assist

What you can do:

Law enforcement officials are asking anyone who attended the party or witnessed the shooting to contact the GBI Perry office or the Dooly County Sheriff's Office with information. 

The investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information can contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Perry at (478) 987-4545. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or through the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

Cordele Judicial Circuit review

What's next:

The Dooly County Sheriff's Office requested assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The victims who died will be taken to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsies.

Once investigators complete the case file, state agents will transfer the findings to the Cordele Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review and prosecution.