Gunmen in ski masks opened fire at a party near Arcadia Lake in Oklahoma on Sunday night, injuring at least 12 people.
The shooting happened around 9pm local time at the Scissortail Campground, close to the Caddo Pavilion area, where dozens of young adults and older teenagers had gathered for an event promoted on social media as “Sunday Funday”. The event had been billed as an evening of “good vibes, good people, food and drinks” scheduled to run from 6pm until midnight.
Police described scenes of chaos as officers arrived to find four people with gunshot wounds inside a vehicle. A total of ten victims were taken to hospital by ambulance, while others made their own way to receive treatment. No fatalities have been officially reported, and the conditions of the injured have been described as “various”.
Witnesses reported hearing a large number of shots, with one account mentioning “like 30 gun shots”. One woman told local media that her cousin and sister had been shot. Another witness, who said they had been shot in the leg, was described as being in a stable condition. A witness quoted by local news said: “It’s very sad to see someone that you know or that you love, just – it’s a very scary, hard thing.”
Victims were transported to Integris Health Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City and Integris Health Edmond Hospital.
Police investigation into masked gunmen
Authorities are continuing to identify the gunmen, who are believed to have been wearing ski masks. Witness accounts have also described “multiple men with rifles” at the scene. As of early Monday morning, no suspects were in custody.
Police are reviewing footage from licence plate reader cameras in an effort to trace those responsible. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the incident, including Edmond Police, Oklahoma City Police, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Edmond Fire and EMS units. A reunification centre for families was set up at a local Walmart.
Police spokeswoman Emily Ward said: “This is obviously a very terrifying situation and we understand the concern from the public and those involved and we are working extremely hard to find the suspects.” She added that authorities do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public.
Arcadia Lake, located roughly 13 miles north of Oklahoma City in the suburb of Edmond, is a popular recreational spot known for picnicking, camping, fishing and water sports. The area has a sombre historical link to gun violence: Edmond was the site of one of the deadliest workplace shootings in US history in 1986, when a postal worker killed 14 colleagues before taking his own life.
Police are urging anyone with information about the shooting or who witnessed the event to come forward.
