A mass shooting at a neighborhood block party in south Georgia early Sunday left two people dead and 35 others injured, according to authorities.
More than 1,000 people were gathered in Vienna when more than 50 shots were fired at least two locations roughly a block apart, Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy said.
Deputies were patrolling a neighborhood block party at about 1:25 a.m. when gunfire erupted in the 900 block of Pine Street, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said. The Dooly County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the GBI.
Two people died at the scene from gunshot wounds. Most of the 35 injured victims were also shot, while others were struck by vehicles or suffered different injuries as they tried to escape. All 35 were taken to hospitals for treatment.
Authorities investigate the scene of a mass shooting where at least two people died and 35 were injured on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Vienna, Georgia. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Peavy said people were running “every direction” as additional gunfire broke out about a block away, even while officers were responding to the initial shooting.
“We don’t know if it’s coming at us or someone else,” he said at a Sunday news conference. “You just have to keep doing what you’re doing and hope you don’t get hit by gunfire.”
The GBI said the injured victims range in age from 14 to 51. Their conditions range from stable to critical.
The two people killed were identified as Jaquevion Jackson, 21, of Cordele, and Macaleb Jackson, 23, of Hawkinsville, the agency said.
The shooting occurred during homecoming weekend for Dooly County High School.
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The victims who were killed in this shooting were identified as 21-year-old Jaquevion Jackson, of Cordele, and 23-year-old Macaleb Jackson, of Hawkinsville. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Dooly County School System Superintendent Sherrod Willaford said the gathering was not a school-sponsored event.
“We recognize that its impact may reach many of our students, families, and staff,” he said in a statement.
Schools are scheduled to open Monday, with additional safety measures in place.
Vienna Mayor Eddie Daniels said the city had not issued a permit for the block party and that he did not know whether it was connected to homecoming.
The injured victims range in age from 14 to 51, and their conditions range from stable to critical. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
No suspects have been arrested. Authorities have not identified a possible motive or determined how many shooters may have been involved.
“Please turn yourself in, because we’re doing everything we can to find out who you are,” Peavy said.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Vienna is approximately 130 miles south of Atlanta and about 50 miles south of Macon along the Interstate 75 corridor. In Macon, 12 teenagers were wounded by gunfire during a confrontation at a birthday party in a city park the previous week.
