2 dead, up to 35 injured in shooting at Georgia homecoming block party

Two men were killed and 35 people injured after gunfire erupted at a crowded homecoming block party in Vienna, Georgia, early Sunday, according to the latest figures released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).

The shooting occurred at around 1.25 am on October 4 while Dooly County Sheriff’s Office deputies were patrolling the neighbourhood gathering. Authorities said shots were fired from the 900 block of Pine Street, prompting deputies to immediately respond to the area.

2 killed, 35 injured

Investigators said deputies found multiple people who had been shot. Two victims were subsequently found in the 600 block of Pine Street and pronounced dead at the scene.

Dooly County Coroner Brett Walls identified the deceased only as men aged 20 and 23. Their families have been notified, but their names had not been publicly released as the investigation remained underway.

The GBI said 35 other people were injured and taken to several regional hospitals for treatment. Authorities had not released details about their conditions.

Earlier reports had put the number of people taken to hospitals at around 25 and said as many as 35 could have been injured. The GBI subsequently confirmed the overall injured count at 35.

Over 1,000 at gathering

More than 1,000 people were estimated to have been attending the homecoming celebration when the violence broke out.

Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy said gunfire was reported at at least two locations roughly a block apart. Shots were fired towards a group of around 50 people, according to the sheriff.

Investigators were working to establish whether the gunfire at the different locations was part of the same confrontation and what had triggered the violence.

Deputies already on patrol

Sheriff’s deputies were already patrolling the block party when the shooting began, allowing officers to respond immediately.

The scale of the gathering and the number of casualties prompted a major emergency response, with victims transported to different hospitals across the region. State investigators were subsequently called in to assist local authorities.

The bodies of the two men killed in the shooting will be taken to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsies.

No arrests announced

Authorities had not announced any arrests or publicly identified a suspect by Sunday afternoon. No possible motive for the shooting had been disclosed either.

Investigators are expected to examine evidence collected from Pine Street, interview witnesses and review any available surveillance or mobile phone footage to establish the sequence of events and identify those responsible.

The GBI said its investigation remained active and ongoing. Once completed, the case file will be submitted to the Cordele Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review and possible prosecution.