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Planned fight between young people escalates to shooting that kills 2 at North Carolina park

Apr 20, 2026 | 9:59 AM

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — A planned fight among young people escalated into a mass shooting at a North Carolina park Monday morning that left two people dead, authorities said.

The shooting happened around 10 a.m. at Leinbach Park, which is near Jefferson Middle School, Winston-Salem police said in a social media post.

Several people were shot, including two fatally, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.

Winston-Salem police Assistant Chief Jason Swaim said two juveniles had agreed to meet at the park to fight. He said a firearm was discharged during the fight, which “resulted in multiple victims being shot.” He said authorities have identified “numerous people” involved in what happened, but that investigators were still trying to determine their exact involvement, including whether they were a suspect, victim or witness.