A mass shooting at a neighborhood block party in south Georgia killed two people and wounded 35 others early Sunday, officials said.
More than 1,000 people were gathered in Vienna when at least 50 shots were fired at two locations roughly a block apart, according to Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy.
Deputies were patrolling a block party in the area of the 900 block of Pine Street at about 1:25 a.m. when gunfire broke out, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said. The sheriff’s office requested assistance from the GBI.
Two people died at the scene from gunshot wounds. Most of the 35 injured victims were also shot, while others were struck by vehicles or suffered different injuries as the crowd ran from the gunfire. All 35 were taken to hospitals for treatment.
Authorities investigate the scene of a mass shooting where at least two people died and 35 were injured on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Vienna, Georgia. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Peavy said people scattered in “every direction” as gunfire continued from a second location about a block away, even with officers already responding.
“We don’t know if it’s coming at us or someone else,” he said at a Sunday news conference. “You just have to keep doing what you’re doing and hope you don’t get hit by gunfire.”
The injured victims are between 14 and 51 years old, the GBI said. Their conditions range from stable to critical.
The two people killed were identified as Jaquevion Jackson, 21, of Cordele, and Macaleb Jackson, 23, of Hawkinsville, according to the agency.
The shooting occurred during homecoming weekend for Dooly County High School.
The victims who were killed in this shooting were identified as 21-year-old Jaquevion Jackson, of Cordele, and 23-year-old Macaleb Jackson, of Hawkinsville. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Sherrod Willaford, superintendent of the Dooly County School System, said the gathering was not sponsored by the school.
“We recognize that its impact may reach many of our students, families, and staff,” Willaford said in a statement.
Schools are scheduled to open Monday, with additional safety measures in place.
Vienna Mayor Eddie Daniels said the city had not issued a permit for the block party. He also said he did not know whether it was connected to homecoming.
The ages of the injured victims range from 14 to 51 and their conditions range from stable to critical. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
No suspects have been arrested. Authorities have not identified a possible motive or determined how many shooters may have been involved.
“Please turn yourself in, because we’re doing everything we can to find out who you are,” Peavy said.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Vienna is located about 130 miles south of Atlanta and roughly 50 miles south of Macon along the Interstate 75 corridor. In Macon, 12 teenagers were wounded by gunfire during a confrontation at a city park last week at a birthday party.