CHARLOTTE, N.C. New Year’s Eve celebrations at Romare Bearden Park in Uptown Charlotte descended into tragedy Sunday night. Five people were shot amid the festivities, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.
The incident took place later in the evening around 11:30 p.m. Preliminary investigations suggest that a single perpetrator fired a barrage of bullets into the crowd, injuring five partygoers. While the alleged shooter, yet to be identified, was taken into custody soon after the incident, a motive has not been established for the shooting.
Fortunately, none of the victims incurred life-threatening injuries, though three were transported from Church Street and two other individuals from Graham Street for medical assistance.
This recent act of violence isn’t isolated, marking the second significant shooting and third troubling event at Romare Bearden Park in just the past year. In a similar alarming episode over last summer, a barrage of gunshots disrupted the peace during a Charlotte Knights baseball game. Another violent incident also took place during the 4th of July festivities where over 30 people were arrested or cited following a brawl at the park.
The investigation on this latest incident is still ongoing as police work to gather additional information about the outbreak of gunfire that left five people shot.