WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — What began as an arranged altercation between teenagers turned into deadly gun violence Monday morning at a Winston-Salem park, claiming two lives and wounding multiple others, according to law enforcement officials.
The fatal incident unfolded approximately 10 a.m. at Leinbach Park, located close to Jefferson Middle School, Winston-Salem police announced on social media.
Multiple individuals sustained gunshot wounds, with two victims dying from their injuries, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation confirmed in an official statement.
Assistant Chief Jason Swaim of Winston-Salem police explained that two young people had arranged to meet at the park location for a physical confrontation. During the altercation, a weapon was fired, Swaim stated, which “resulted in multiple victims being shot.” Law enforcement has identified “numerous people” connected to the incident, though investigators continue working to establish each person’s role, including whether they were perpetrators, victims or witnesses.
Swaim assured the community that educational institutions in the vicinity of the park remained secure and confirmed that Jefferson Middle School parents were able to retrieve their children from the school.
The violent episode took place in a park situated within a suburban residential neighborhood in the northwestern section of Winston-Salem, a municipality with approximately 250,000 residents historically recognized as the headquarters of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
