Two Injured in North Carolina High School Basketball Tournament Shooting, Police Say
20:20 GMT 30.12.2021 (Updated: 10:04 GMT 30.11.2022)
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Local media reported that Catawba College is closed for the holidays. The tournament was reportedly being hosted by Rowan-Salisbury Schools, and 300 to 400 people were expected to watch the game between North Rowan High School and West Rowan High School when the shooting occurred.
A gunshot at a high school basketball tournament in Salisbury, North Carolina, left two boys injured, according to authorities.
The incident reportedly took place soon after 8 pm on Wednesday in the Catawba College Goodwin Gymnasium foyer during the annual Sam Moir Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament.
Police Chief Jerry Stokes holds a media conference following an incident during a basketball tournament on the campus of Catawba College this evening. pic.twitter.com/1jYQe2ElXl
— SalisburyPD (@SalisburyNCPD) December 30, 2021
According to the police, the two male youths were shot in the gym's lobby area; the victims were transferred to Baptist Hospital and Rowan Medical Center, respectively. Officers investigated the building and nearby portions of the campus for other injured people, as well as anyone seeking shelter, according to the police. No one else was reportedly injured, but the severity of the victims' injuries was not reported.
The shooter is not yet identified and is not in custody, according to Salisbury Police Chief Jerry Stokes, but only one person is thought to have discharged a gun. Although police have not stated what caused the incident, students reportedly informed the local FOX 46 station that a fight broke out between a group of people before the shots were fired.
According to those reports, four to five shots were fired, with one boy seeming to be struck in the leg and the other in the arm.
On the advice of the police, soon after the shooting took place, the school district sent out a tweet canceling the rest of the tournament.
ATTENTION: The remainder of the 2021 Sam Moir Christmas Tournament has been canceled. pic.twitter.com/ivHjDrAJND
— Rowan-Salisbury Schools (@RSSchoolsNC) December 30, 2021
"We take the safety of our children very seriously, and we will continue working with law enforcement to do what is necessary to keep our students and staff safe. Thank you for your patience as there are still many unanswered questions regarding this matter until law enforcement completes their investigation," the district's statement read, per WBTV.
Under standard procedure, to establish all the circumstances of the incident, the police asked all those in possession of the information to report it to the Salisbury Police Department.
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