STOCKTON, Ala. — Authorities in south Alabama urged witnesses to provide video that could prove who was responsible for a shooting at an outdoor party that left three dead and 18 injured over the weekend.
Officials released few details about the shooting Saturday evening at a May Day celebration near Stockton that was attended by about 1,000 people, including many families with children.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that an argument caused someone in the crowd to start shooting, causing terrified partygoers to scatter and hide. Officials suspect there may have been more shooters. Authorities have not released the identities of the victims or said whether any arrests have been made.
The sheriff’s department asked people to come forward with information and any video footage taken at the party.
“This is a tragic event that touches many lives in our community. We are working very hard to resolve this case, but we cannot make arrests or successfully prosecute the offenders without assistance,” police said.
A witness described a chaotic scene when gunfire broke out at the crowded party. Douglas Bolden, who now lives in Birmingham, returns home every year for the event for the annual May Day event in the spring. He told WALA-TV that he took shelter under his RV after gunfire shattered the window of a nearby truck.
‘You had lost children here. Children run through the forest. People are running for their lives,” Bolden told the station.
He said “many shots” were fired and gunfire appeared to be coming from multiple directions.
“There is no reason to shoot. It is not too bad. Whatever they had, it wasn’t that bad for you to get here with all these people and start shooting. There was no point. It made no sense at all.”
Stockton has approximately 400 residents. It is located approximately 30 miles northeast of Mobile, Alabama.