A mass shooting erupted at a neighborhood block party in South Georgia early Sunday morning, leaving two people dead and 35 others injured, according to officials. More than 1,000 people had gathered in Vienna when the gunfire began.

Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy said more than 50 shots were fired in at least two locations about a block apart. The violence unfolded during homecoming weekend for Dooly County High School.

Deputies were patrolling the neighborhood gathering around 1:25 a.m. when shots rang out on the 900 block of Pine Street, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. The Dooly County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the GBI.

Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene from gunshot wounds. The GBI identified them as Jaquevion Jackson, 21, of Cordele, and Macaleb Jackson, 23, of Hawkinsville.

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Most of the 35 injured victims suffered gunshot wounds, while several others were struck by cars or sustained other injuries as the crowd fled. All 35 injured victims were transported to hospitals for treatment.

The wounded range in age from 14 to 51, according to the GBI. Their conditions were described as ranging from stable to critical, illustrating the grim scope of the violence that tore through the gathering.

Peavy said people were “going every direction” as officers tried to respond to the initial burst of violence. Even with law enforcement already at the scene, another round of gunfire erupted roughly a block away.

“We don’t know if it’s coming at us or someone else,” Peavy said during a Sunday press conference. “You just have to keep doing what you’re doing and hope you don’t get hit by gunfire.”

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The block party was not an event sponsored by the Dooly County School System, Superintendent Sherrod Willaford said. Still, the timing during homecoming weekend raised concerns about the shooting’s effect across the school community.

“We recognize that its impact may reach many of our students, families, and staff,” Willaford said in a statement. Schools were expected to open Monday, but officials implemented additional safety measures.

Vienna Mayor Eddie Daniels said the city had not issued any kind of permit for the block party. Daniels also said he did not know whether the gathering was intended as a homecoming party.

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Authorities had not arrested any suspects, identified a possible motive or determined how many shooters may have been involved. The unanswered questions left investigators facing a sprawling crime scene involving dozens of victims and more than 50 reported shots.

Peavy directly appealed to those responsible as the search continued. “Please turn yourself in, because we're doing everything we can to find out who you are,” he said.

Vienna is about 130 miles south of Atlanta. It is also about a 50-mile drive south along the Interstate 75 corridor from Macon.

The shooting followed another outbreak of gunfire in Macon the previous week, where 12 teenagers were wounded during a confrontation at a birthday party in a city park.

The investigation remained active as authorities worked to identify those responsible for the deadly violence. With no suspects arrested and no announced motive, officials continued seeking answers after a neighborhood gathering became a scene of chaos and bloodshed.

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