Two victims were critically wounded after authorities said two groups confronted each other at a Macon park shortly after midnight.
MACON, Ga. — Twelve teenagers were wounded, two critically, when authorities said two groups exchanged gunfire during an 18th birthday gathering at Carolyn Crayton Park early Sunday, prompting a large investigation as deputies searched for those responsible.
The shooting was reported shortly after midnight Sept. 27 near the skatepark area of Carolyn Crayton Park. Bibb County Sheriff David Davis said the gathering had moved to the park after people attending the birthday celebration were asked to leave a rented home in neighboring Jones County. Investigators said another group later arrived, a confrontation followed and people from the two groups displayed firearms before shots were fired.
The victims ranged in age from 17 to 19. Authorities identified them by age and sex as five 17-year-old males, four 18-year-old males, two 18-year-old females and one 19-year-old male. Two of the wounded, a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old, were reported in critical but stable condition. The other victims were listed in stable condition. Authorities had not publicly released their names.
Davis said investigators had no indication at the time of his Sunday briefing that any of the people who were wounded had participated in the gunfire. Detectives were still working to determine the relationship between the two groups and what caused the confrontation. Authorities said surveillance footage from the park captured a burst of gunfire lasting about 30 seconds as people fled.
The gathering had started earlier as a celebration for a girl turning 18, Davis said. Partygoers had been at a short-term rental in Jones County before the property owner became concerned about activity there and asked the group to leave. The sheriff said some of the young people then moved to Carolyn Crayton Park, where they continued gathering before the second group arrived.
The first reports indicated 11 people had been shot, but authorities later raised the total to 12 after a 19-year-old male sought treatment for a gunshot wound. Several victims were taken to a hospital in private vehicles as deputies responded to the park. The arrival of victims, relatives and friends led authorities to restrict access to the hospital emergency department while law enforcement worked to secure the area.
Investigators impounded seven vehicles as part of the inquiry, including four that had been used to transport wounded people to the hospital and three that remained at the park. Authorities also interviewed 10 witnesses as detectives worked to identify the people who fired weapons and reconstruct the sequence of events.
Davis said several of those wounded were students at area high schools, including Central High School and Northeast High School. Authorities did not immediately provide a complete breakdown of which victims attended which schools. The shooting brought a large law enforcement response to the park and hospital as investigators collected evidence and interviewed people connected to the gathering.
No arrests had been announced in the initial investigation. Davis said investigators had developed several persons of interest, but authorities had not publicly identified them or announced charges. He indicated that additional law enforcement activity was expected as detectives pursued leads, though investigators had not established publicly who fired the shots or how many shooters were involved.
The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office continued investigating Monday, including reviewing evidence and determining what led to the confrontation between the groups. The identities of the wounded teenagers remained undisclosed in the reports reviewed, and authorities had not announced an arrest in connection with the shooting.
Author note: Last updated September 28, 2026.