Deadly Shooting at North Carolina House Party Leaves One Dead, 11 Injured

HICKORY, N.C. — A tragic mass shooting erupted at a large house party in the early hours of Sunday, June 1, 2025, in Catawba County, North Carolina, resulting in one fatality and 11 injuries, authorities confirmed. The incident, which unfolded around 12:45 a.m. at a residence on Walnut Acres Drive in the Mountain View community, approximately 60 miles northwest of Charlotte, has left the quiet neighborhood reeling and prompted a multi-agency investigation.

According to the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire at the home, where as many as 100 people—many believed to be high school students—were gathered for a party. Upon arrival, law enforcement discovered 12 victims, with one pronounced dead at the scene. The deceased was later identified as 58-year-old Shawn Patrick Hood of Lenoir, North Carolina, the oldest of the victims, whose ages ranged from 16 upward. One individual remains in critical condition, while 10 others were hospitalized with serious injuries, some sustained from gunfire and others from the chaos of fleeing the scene.

Sheriff’s Major Aaron Turk addressed the incident at a Sunday afternoon news conference, noting that more than 80 shots were fired and that evidence suggests multiple shooters were involved. “Our investigation indicates more than one shooter was involved in the incident. We are still working to determine when they arrived, how they arrived, what their reasoning was for their presence. Also, their motive,” Turk stated. No arrests have been made as of early Monday, June 2, 2025, and the motive remains under investigation.

The shooting occurred nearly two hours after deputies had responded to a noise complaint at the same residence around 11 p.m. Saturday. Turk confirmed that partygoers complied with requests to lower the music, and deputies departed without incident. Authorities have found no evidence linking the earlier complaint to the subsequent violence.

Eyewitnesses described a scene of panic, with attendees scattering, ducking for cover, and running to their cars for safety as shots rang out. One witness told local station WSOC-TV, an ABC affiliate, that the chaos felt “like a movie,” underscoring the shock in a typically quiet residential area. The crime scene, spanning roughly two acres across multiple properties, included both indoor and outdoor areas, complicating the investigation.

The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, alongside the Hickory Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI, is working tirelessly to identify those responsible and establish a motive. Sheriff Donald G. Brown II emphasized the commitment to justice, stating, “I want everyone to know that we are going to work together tirelessly and diligently to identify the individuals who are responsible for this act.” The FBI has deployed Victim Services specialists to support those affected and is setting up a tips line for witnesses or anyone with information about the incident. The public is urged to contact the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office at 828-464-3112 with any details.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein expressed heartbreak over the tragedy in a statement on X, saying, “Anna and I were heartbroken to learn of the early morning mass shooting in Catawba County and are praying for the victims and their families. I have spoken with Sheriff Brown to offer support to make sure the public [is] safe and the perpetrator is brought to justice.”

This incident has renewed discussions about gun violence, with Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, posting on X, “And yet republicans in our state legislature are trying to make permit-less carry legal in this state. The answer to gun violence being the #1 killer of young people in communities across our state is not to make it easier for young people to buy one.”

As the investigation continues, authorities have stated the shooting does not appear random or an ongoing threat to the broader community. Further updates are expected as law enforcement processes evidence and interviews approximately 70 witnesses.

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