Metheun shooting at car club meet up organized via Snapchat involving hundreds of young people leaves 8 injured after gunfire erupted during spontaneous meet up in Massachusetts. Gunman at large.
Eight people have been injured, two critically, after gunfire erupted during a social media generated gathering in Methuen, Massachusetts, with the gunman reported to still be at large.
The shootings occurred at a large ‘car club meet up’ of hundreds young people organized via social media, Essex County District Attorney’s Office said. The people involved range in age from late teens to 22, the prosecutor’s office stated.
‘Here we see again gun violence that is striking at the heart of the community and we are working very hard — state police detectives have been on the scene all night with Methuen police and Methuen detectives — responding to a chaotic scene,’ Essex DA Paul Tucker said during a Sunday morning press conference.
Hundreds of young people attended meet up organized spontaneously via Snapchat
Of the 7 victims shot, Tucker said two were in critical condition and the remaining five were listed as stable. One victim had to be airlifted to a hospital. An eighth person suffered a head injury while fleeing the violence. The DA did not disclose the name of the hospitals treating the victims nor were their names released to the public, the Boston Herald reported.
‘This is still a very fluid investigation,’ Tucker said.
Considering the number of gunshots fired, Tucker said, ‘it’s pretty amazing that more people were not hurt.’
‘There were hundreds of people here,’ Tucker said.
The gunfire broke out at approximately 1:55 a.m, Sunday morning in the area of 100 Lindberg Avenue, Methuen Police Chief Scott McNamara said. Police responded to a ‘report of a shooting. We had received multiple 911 calls in that regard.’
Meet up took place at unused parking lots in out of the way areas
Tucker said the violence came during a ‘social media, Snapchat event where people meet up’ in unused parking lots in out of the way parts of communities. He said events like these are popping up throughout the county and the Merrimack Valley.
McNamara said that events like these spontaneous and unsanctioned car club gatherings do not unusually lead to violence, but even if they don’t it’s the policy of his department to ‘take law enforcement action wherever appropriate to discourage this activity from occurring in the first place.’
McNamara said investigating officers had gathered evidence and had some ‘very strong leads’ but did not have any information about a particular suspect or know exactly what led to the shooting. The police have not recovered any firearms used in the shooting, the chief said, but have gathered casings from ‘many’ fired rounds.
Tucker said that his office and the police department are both hoping the public will step up and fill in some gaps on what occurred early Sunday morning, especially considering the size of the gathering.
‘There were hundreds of people involved here and these were terrible crimes, not only for the individuals who suffered these gunshot wounds but their family and the community as well. We are absolutely asking for help,’ he said.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the DA’s office or the Methuen PD. An anonymous tip can be shared with Methuen detectives by calling 978-983-8794. The Essex DA’s office can be reached at 978-744-6610.
