Morgan Hill mass shooting: Party location wasn't shared until hours before birthday bash
Morgan Hill party shooting: Santa Clara County Sheriff's update
A spokesperson for the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department shares new details on the shooting that occurred in unincorporated Morgan Hill over the weekend.
MORGAN HILL, Calif. - Investigators are working to untangle what led to a mass shooting at a birthday bash in Morgan Hill that left one person dead and six others injured Saturday night.
Authorities said the gathering was a "pop-up" party promoted on social media as a birthday party for a Twitch streamer. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office has not identified the streamer or confirmed who organized the event.
Handmade signs taped to poles outside the crime scene read "Natedebaiits Birthday Party" with arrows directing attendees to the open field where the gathering took place.
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Morgan Hill shooting: 1 killed, 6 wounded after gunfire erupts at unsanctioned party
One person was killed, and six others were injured in a shooting at an unsanctioned party in an open field Morgan Hill on Saturday night, authorities said.
An Instagram account under the handle @natedebaiits, belonging to a San Jose content creator, posted an Instagram Story sending condolences to the victim's family, and he never intended for the event to spiral out of control.
A Twitch channel with the same handle also appeared to livestream the party before the channel was deleted. Video viewed by KTVU showed hundreds of people gathered in an open space. Several loud pops could be heard, with the streamer initially believing they were fireworks before realizing they were gunshots.
1 killed, 6 wounded after shooting at Morgan Hill birthday party
One person was killed and six others were wounded after gunfire erupted at a birthday party with more than 300 people in unincorporated Morgan Hill. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office says the party was promoted on social media, no arrests have been made, and investigators are asking witnesses to come forward with videos.
Party held without property owner's permission
What we know:
Brooks Jarosz, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office, said the gathering was not permitted and organizers never obtained the required county permit for a large event. He said the property owner was unaware the party was taking place and had not rented the field to anyone.
Authorities said the party's location was not given out until just hours before it began on Saturday. Roughly 300 people gathered in the open field near Hale and Miramonte avenues before the celebration turned deadly.
Chaotic scene as hundreds flee gunfire in Morgan Hill
More than 300 partygoers tried to flee after gunfire rang out during an unpermitted party in Morgan Hill, authorities said. The violence left one person dead and six others injured.
Deputies arrived as hundreds fled gunfire
Deputies were first dispatched to the area around 10:16 p.m. after reports of intoxicated people in the street and someone throwing bottles at passing vehicles, according to the sheriff's office.
When deputies arrived, they saw hundreds of partygoers running from the area after multiple gunshots rang out.
"It's a two-lane road," Jarosz said. "You had dozens, and dozens of cars parked on that open field property trying to get out as we're rushing to get in."
Seven adults were shot during the mayhem. One victim died.
As of Monday, four victims remained hospitalized while two had been released. Authorities said the victims suffered injuries including gunshot wounds to the abdomen, ankle and shoulder.
The identity of the person who was killed has not been released.
Search continues for suspect or suspects
What's next:
Investigators have not made any arrests and are still trying to determine whether one or multiple shooters were involved.
Authorities said they know a handgun was used but have not released additional details about the weapon used or a possible motive.
Jarosz said detectives are working around the clock but underscored that the investigation will take time.
1 dead, 6 injured in shooting at large Morgan Hill party, sheriff says
One person was killed and six others were shot at an unsanctioned party with more than 300 attendees in unincorporated Morgan Hill. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office says no arrests have been made as detectives investigate and seek witness videos.
Witnesses describe panic and chaos
What they're saying:
Neighbors said the normally quiet area erupted into chaos as hundreds of people rushed to escape.
"It was really stressful and really scary for us as kids because we just saw a bunch of teenagers running as if something massive was going on — which something was going on," said nearby resident Zoe Gonzalez.
Jose, a San Jose teenager who attended the party, returned the next day to retrieve his car after it was left inside the crime scene. He said he was standing just feet from one of the victims when the shooting began.
"The guy who ended up getting shot was about 10 or 15 feet away from me. I dropped to the ground, and I look up, and all I see is the guy on the ground," Jose said. "When they were trying to see if he was OK, there was already blood gushing out of his mouth. I kind of knew what the outcome was going to be. It was really traumatizing."
Jose said many of the people at the party were around 18 years old or only slightly older.
He believes the shooting may have been gang-related, though authorities said Monday they do not yet have evidence to make that determination.
The Source: This story was written based on information from the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, along with prior reporting.