Posted on 09/28/2026 11:52:10 AM PDT by grundle
A birthday celebration erupted into chaos early Sunday when gunfire broke out between two groups at Carolyn Crayton Park, leaving 12 teenagers wounded.
A 17-year-old male and an 18-year-old were in critical condition at Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center, Bibb County Sheriff David Davis said in an afternoon press conference attended by the mayor and the school superintendent. Nine others — five 18-year-olds and four 17-year-olds — are listed in stable condition. A 19-year-old victim arrived at the hospital Sunday afternoon.
Three of the victims were identified as Northeast High School football players.
“I can’t remember we’ve had this many people shot at one time in Macon,” Davis said.
The sheer number of victims, as well as family members and friends who gathered at the hospital, forced deputies and hospital security to cordon off the area and lock down the emergency room, Davis said.
The panic in the emergency room capped off a sequence of events that began Saturday night when a large group of teenagers came together to celebrate a birthday.
The students — from Northeast High School, Central High School and the Bibb school district’s VIP and SOAR academies — had initially gathered at an Airbnb in Jones County. But the rental’s owner “became concerned with some of the activities that were going on,” the sheriff said. The Airbnb owner had also learned that some of the celebrants had guns, so he told the group to leave.
The party moved “on the fly” to Carolyn Crayton Park, Davis said. Dozens of people gathered near the skate park and maintenance building, not far from historic Luther Williams Field.
When another large cluster of people — who were not there for the birthday party — gathered across the street, the groups exchanged words. It didn’t take long for gunfire to erupt.
Davis said the second group seemingly “initiated” the shooting, speculating that the incident was sparked by a “silly beef.” Investigators don’t yet know if the second group was also made up of high school students.
“We’re getting all kinds of calls now about ‘Is it gang related?’ ‘Is it school related?’ ‘Is it interpersonal?’” Davis said. “Right now, everything is on the table. We don’t want to really say what we’re looking at specifically or what may be the catalyst.”
During a Sunday afternoon press conference at the sheriff’s office annex on Third Street, Davis showed a video of the shooting taken from a surveillance camera. The dark, grainy footage shows multiple people shooting guns, the bright flashes from the gunfire illuminating figures crouched behind cars as several vehicles frantically drive away from the scene.
The shooting was called into the sheriff’s office just after midnight Sunday morning. The sheriff’s office was interviewing 10 witnesses, Davis said, though shooters had not been identified as of Sunday afternoon.
Davis used the words “horrific” and “horrendous” multiple times to describe the shooting.
Mayor Lester Miller also condemned the gun violence, adding that a greater tragedy was avoided — just hours earlier, a large reunion for the 1992 graduates from Central, Northeast and Southwest had gathered at the park. That gathering had dissipated before the shooting unfolded.
Bibb schools superintendent Dan Sims said the school district would have counselors on standby but declined to comment further on the shooting.
Davis said the sheriff’s office is in contact with the FBI, GBI and the ATF. He also mentioned the possibility of holding parents accountable for allowing their children to have guns.
Asked about Macon’s curfew laws, Davis said, “there’s no curfew on the book that covers a 17 year old.”
“Maybe some of these parents ought to think about having a curfew at home to keep these kids out of the street with their guns,” the sheriff said. “When we find out who did this — and we’re gonna find out who did it — I’ll guarantee you there’s some adult loved ones or guardians who knew they had guns. Not a doubt in my mind, and if we can charge any adult in connection with this, we’re gonna do that, too.”
Davis also mentioned that the gathering at the park was technically illegal, as Carolyn Crayton Park closes at 10 p.m., though he waved off the notion of charging the victims in the shooting.
“Am I gonna write some of these victims a ticket for being in the park? They were shot,” he said.
Rumors concerning the shooting quickly circulated on local social media, with some posts noting that there were stabbings at the hospital following the shootings. Davis said there were no indications of a stabbing at Atrium, dismissing those claims.
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No need to mention any names.
Nor any info about their complexions . . .
No doubt the Amish again (and again, and again)...
Or in hood rat speak...
Popped a cap in dey ass.
No need to….its Macon
We just need to give the Amish reparations then all this poor behavior will stop.
You must be kidding. Surely it’s Ponyboy, Sodapop, and Two-bit. And I’m sure Cherry Valance would be amongst the ladies./sarc
“Teens”
It’s them again, Yogi.
The children of Obeyme.
Appears that the gang that left the Airb’nb went on to the turf of another gang when they entered the park.
Satire Only ...Not Real
“Somebody wrote to the Birthday Boy saying:
“Yo Mama cuts up brooms from the Dollar General to make her hair weaves, and the colors don’t even match her own hair!”
“I saw her standing at the cash register.
She was buying six different brooms with six different colors. I said “My Gawd!”.
The Park is east of downtown along the river.
It could have been the 12 white kids in the school. They’re always causing trouble.
BooBoo got disrespected.
Another after midnight birthday party. I asked my wife why we never scheduled out daughter’s parties after midnight which seems to be the trend these days. She reminded me we have names easy to pronounce.
No need for that information.
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