A planned confrontation between “young individuals” dissolved into a mass shooting at a public park Monday morning, leaving two teenagers dead and five others wounded.
Winston-Salem Police officials confirmed the casualties during a Monday afternoon press conference, describing a chaotic scene at Leinbach Park that began as a reported physical altercation.
Officers responded to reports of a fight in progress at approximately 9:52 a.m. While units were en route, reports shifted to an active shooting involving multiple victims. Upon arrival, police observed several individuals fleeing the area.
First responders located two victims, ages 16 and 17, who were pronounced dead at the scene. One teenager was discovered in the park’s parking lot, while the second was found deeper within the park grounds.
The gunfire struck five additional people, with injuries ranging from minor to critical. The wounded include:
- Three females, ages 14, 15, and 17.
- One 18-year-old male.
- One 19-year-old female.
Authorities are withholding the names of the deceased and the minors in accordance with North Carolina law. The identity of the 19-year-old victim is also being withheld as detectives investigate their specific involvement in the incident.
“Preliminary information indicates that some of those injured may have also been involved in the shooting,” stated Winston-Salem Police Capt. Kevin Burns.
Detectives are currently working to determine what sparked the initial fight and whether the two deceased teenagers were the primary targets or participants in the dispute. As of late Monday, no suspects have been taken into custody.
The Winston-Salem Police Department continues to process ballistics evidence and interview witnesses who fled the scene. This remains an active investigation.
