Twelve teenagers were shot during a confrontation at Carolyn Crayton Park in Macon, Georgia, early Sunday morning, authorities said. The shootout occurred shortly after midnight when two groups of people opened fire on each other at the location, about 85 miles southeast of Atlanta.
According to Bibb County Sheriff David Davis, a group of young people had gathered at the park to celebrate an 18-year-old woman's birthday after being asked to leave a home rented for the party in Jones County several hours earlier. When another group arrived at the park, a confrontation developed between the two groups.
"Both groups exchanged words, brandished firearms and then began firing at each other," Davis said during a news conference.
Surveillance video from the park captured an eruption of gunfire lasting approximately 30 seconds as people fled the area. Deputies responded to the scene and found that victims had been transported to local hospitals.
The wounded included four 18-year-old men, two 18-year-old women, and five 17-year-old boys, according to the sheriff's office. Two victims—an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy—were in critical condition, while the others were in stable condition.