Two Killed, 35 Injured As Gunfire Erupts At Homecoming Party In Georgia Town

Two people were killed and 35 others injured after gunfire erupted at a crowded homecoming block party in Vienna, Georgia, early Sunday, with authorities still searching for those responsible and trying to determine a motive.

The shooting happened at about 1:25 a.m. on October 4 as more than 1,000 people, with some estimates putting the crowd at around 1,500, gathered across several blocks during Dooly County High School’s homecoming weekend. The event was not a school-sponsored function.

Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy identified the two people killed as 21-year-old Jaquevion Jackson of Cordele and 23-year-old Macaleb Jackson of Hawkinsville. It was not immediately clear whether the two men were related. Both were pronounced dead at the scene with fatal gunshot wounds.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said the injured victims ranged in age from 14 to 51, with conditions ranging from critical to stable. Officials said some of the 35 victims suffered gunshot wounds, but they had not determined exactly how many were struck by bullets. Others were injured while trying to escape the chaos.

Authorities said shots were fired at two locations roughly a block apart after deputies already assigned to monitor the large gathering heard gunfire. More than 50 shots were reportedly fired. The initial shooting began near the centre of the crowd before gunfire continued as people scattered.

Witness Ashley Gee, 30, described hearing what sounded like rapid-fire gunshots before people began running. She took cover under a table until she believed it was safe.

Local hospitals were overwhelmed by the number of casualties. Crisp Regional Hospital said it had treated 26 victims by Sunday afternoon, with two transferred elsewhere and two requiring emergency surgery. Many others were treated and released.

Sheriff Peavy said deputies were already nearby because of the size of the gathering but struggled to determine where the gunfire was coming from amid the packed streets. He called the incident an overwhelming experience for his department.

No arrests had been announced and investigators had not identified a suspect or established a motive. The GBI is leading the investigation, while authorities are asking anyone with information to come forward.

Dooly County schools were expected to open Monday with additional safety measures following the shooting. Vienna, a small community about 130 miles south of Atlanta, has been left reeling by the scale of the violence.