Two people were killed and 35 others were injured when gunfire broke out at a neighborhood block party in Vienna, Georgia, according to authorities. Some of the injured were hit by a vehicle.
The shooting happened at about 1:25 a.m. Sunday, when Dooly County sheriff’s deputies patrolling the party heard shots from the 900 block of Pine Street, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
The gathering followed Dooly County’s homecoming festivities, which brought alumni, relatives and friends into town for the weekend. Sheriff Craig Peavy said extra deputies had been assigned to handle the expected crowds and traffic, including personnel stationed at both ends of the party.
Deputies initially thought the sounds were fireworks, and some people in the crowd reported fireworks before someone said a person had been shot. About 20 officers were at the scene within minutes, but the crowd made reaching victims difficult.
“Trying to get to people who needed our assistance and work through the crowd was almost impossible,” Sheriff Peavy said.
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