Shootout at Georgia Birthday Party Wounds 12 Teens

MACON, Ga. -- Two groups of people shot at each other during a birthday party at a Georgia city park, resulting in gunshot wounds to 12 teens, a sheriff said Sunday.

The shootout occurred early Sunday morning, shortly after midnight, at Carolyn Crayton Park in Macon, Bibb County Sheriff David Davis said during a news conference.

A group of young people went to the park to celebrate a woman's 18th birthday after getting kicked out of a home rented for the party several hours earlier, Davis said. At some point, another group showed up at the park and a confrontation occurred.

“Both groups exchanged words, brandished firearms and then began firing at each other,” Davis said.

Investigators were still trying to determine how the two groups were related to each other and what prompted hostilities. Surveillance video from the park shows an eruption of gunfire that lasted about 30 seconds as people fled the area.

Deputies responded to the park and learned that victims had been transported to a nearby hospital in personal vehicles. One 19-year-old male, four 18-year-old males, five 17-year-old males and two 18-year-old females were treated for injuries. Two of the people were in critical condition, and the others were stable.

“There’s no indication that any of these individuals who were injured at this time participated in the gunfire,” Davis said.

No arrests were immediately made, but the sheriff said investigators had several persons of interest. Deputies impounded four vehicles that brought victims to the hospital and three that were left at the park. They also interviewed 10 witnesses.

“There’s going to be some heavy police presences in some places coming up over the next few days as we make some arrests in this,” Davis said.