Gunfire erupts at vehicle gathering in Massachusetts, authorities hunting for perpetrator and reason behind attack
Late-night chaos hit Lindbergh Avenue, Methuen, Essex County, as police swarmed the scene following numerous 911 calls reporting a shooting incident. Methuen's Police Chief, Scott McNamara, provided updates at a Sunday press conference.
Upon arrival, officers discovered seven victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency services transported the injured individuals to a nearby hospital, while an air ambulance evacuated one victim directly from the scene, officials confirmed.
The victims encompassed individuals ranging from late teenagers to 22 years old, hailing from diverse parts of Essex County.
Five of the victims were reported to be in stable condition, while two were critical, as per Essex County District Attorney, Paul Tucker. As of his remarks, no victims had been discharged from the hospital. An eighth victim was discovered at the scene, having sustained severe head injuries while fleeing the area.
Chief McNamara vowed to assure the community that although unplanned car meetups like this are not typically associated with such violence, their policy remains firm in taking appropriate law enforcement action to deter such activities.
The shooting transpired during a car party, a common occurrence in abandoned parking lots, where young adults between ages 16 and 20 converge to listen to music, dance, vape, and drink. McNamara emphasized that area law enforcement agencies have grappled with these gatherings for several years, even taking action in Methuen cases prior to the event in question.
When asked about their approach, McNamara stated, "When we find this here in Methuen, we’ve always taken law enforcement action. We’ll cite them for trespassing."
During previous endeavors, McNamara explained that law enforcement was able to gather information on these events through infiltration. However, this specific incident occurred in an area that had never previously hosted such meetups.
Currently, no suspects have been arrested and police are examining several surveillance footage excerpts from the area, authorities revealed.
At present, the motive for the shooting remains unknown, as stated by Tucker.
This report incorporates contributions from CNN’s Ashley R. Williams.
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The local authorities are actively searching for the perpetrator responsible for the gunfire incident, which involved several victims from the community ['us']. The motive behind this attack remains undiscovered by authorities.
