Planned fight near North Carolina middle school erupts into shooting, killing 2 teens and wounding 5, police say

By Holly Yan, Dianne Gallagher, Meridith Edwards, CNN

(CNN) — Two teenagers were killed and five others were shot after a planned fight erupted into gunfire at a public park that borders a middle school, Winston-Salem police announced on Monday.

The shooting happened in Leinbach Park on Robinhood Road. The park is next to Jefferson Middle School, which was briefly placed on a secure hold earlier in the day but police said the shooting did not happen on school property.

Authorities received a call about a fight in progress around 9:52 a.m. While officers were en route to the scene, they were alerted “shots had been fired and that multiple individuals had been struck by gunfire,” Winston-Salem Police Capt. Kevin Burns said during a news conference.

Police said they found a 17-year-old male suffering from a gunshot wound in the parking lot. Officers also found a 16-year-old male further inside the park who had also been shot. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

In addition to the two people killed, five more teenagers — ages 14 to 19 — were wounded in the shooting, with injuries ranging from critical to minor, Burns said. The names of the wounded were not released, but they were identified as four girls and one boy.

“Detectives are actively working to determine each individual’s role in this incident. Preliminary information indicates that some of those injured may have also been involved in the shooting,” the captain said.

There are no suspects in custody, Winston-Salem Police Chief William Penn, Jr. said. He declined to comment on potential charges, saying the investigation is ongoing.

Law enforcement made passionate pleas for parents and children alike to take gun safety more seriously.

“(H)aving those cellphones out changes the behavior of our youth,” said Penn. “Stay away from the fights. It’s not the same as it used to be. I know I sound like the grumpy old man when I say that, but these fights now lead to weapons, and shootings, and videos. And we don’t come back from that.”

“There is no shortage of guns in our community. There is no shortage,” Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough Jr. said. “At the same time, there is no gun sensitivity amongst our youth. And, I’m telling you, they’re using guns like they use their cellphones: indiscriminately,” Kimbrough added.

Nearby Mount Tabor High School was also placed on a secure hold but continued with classes, police said earlier Monday. Parents were allowed to pick their students up from those schools if they wanted.

The City of Winston-Salem is asking anyone with information to contact authorities.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN’s Moriah Thomas, Travis Nichols and Shawn Nottingham contributed to this report.

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