In the early hours of Saturday, a Halloween party in Robeson County, North Carolina, took a tragic turn when a mass shooting erupted, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and critical injuries to several others. According to Sheriff Burnis Wilkins, the incident at the outdoor gathering, attended by approximately 300 people, was triggered by a dispute between two groups.

Sheriff Wilkins shared with News13 that as deputies rushed to the scene, they were informed that multiple people had been shot. Simultaneously, some of the wounded had already made their way to hospitals in both Lumberton and Scotland County. The chaotic scene unfolded at the intersection of Dixon and McGirt Gin roads in Maxton, leading to over 150 attendees fleeing before law enforcement could arrive.

“We’re still in the early stages of the investigation,” Wilkins reported, emphasizing the complexity of the situation with numerous interviews being conducted. “It appears a confrontation between a couple of groups escalated into gunfire, resulting in innocent bystanders being caught in the crossfire.”

The response to the emergency was swift and involved multiple agencies, including the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina Highway Patrol, Maxton Police Department, state Department of Alcohol Law Enforcement, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Despite the severity of the incident, Sheriff Wilkins reassured the public that the shooting was an isolated event and that there is no ongoing threat to the wider community. The investigation remains active, with various law enforcement organizations collaborating to piece together the events that led to this senseless tragedy.

Sheriff Burnis Wilkins’ office said the shooting was an isolated event and that there is no current threat to the community. Multiple law enforcement agencies are involved in the investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 910-671-3100.

This is a developing story. Count on News13 for updates.