Teen takeover lead to fights, gunfire in Brier Creek, Glenwood South on July 4th: Raleigh police
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Raleigh Police Department (RPD) says 'teen takeovers' led to fights and shootings in the Brier Creek and Glenwood South areas on the Fourth of July.
Police said there were about 3,000 teens in Brier Creek and about 5,000 in Glenwood with fights ending in gunfire. Two people were injured in the Brier Creek shooting and six were injured in the Glenwood South area.
Police said officers responded just before 10:30 p.m. Saturday to reports of a fight near the movie theater and nearby stores in Brier Creek. After teens were removed from a store, a large fight erupted outside, police said. During the disturbance, gunfire was reported.
Two innocent bystanders were injured. One person was struck by gunfire, and another was injured by shattered glass caused by the shooting.
"It's just sad, It's just really sad that we can't even enjoy the 4th of July anymore," Erica of Raleigh said. "No shooting should happen when people are trying to have fun," Carmen Harris of Raleigh said.
Police said officers detained a juvenile who was found in possession of a handgun and said they do not believe that juvenile was one of the shooters. The people responsible for the shooting remain unidentified and the investigation is ongoing.
May McWilliams, a Raleigh resident, said she was surprised the violence occurred in an area she visits regularly. "I was a little surprised that it happened right here, because we shop here all the time," McWilliams said.
Teen Takeovers
Police believe about half of the teens were from outside Raleigh. After officers cleared the Brier Creek area, many of the juveniles reassembled in Glenwood South, where additional fights and shootings were reported.
Officers responded to multiple shootings in and around the Glenwood South entertainment district around 1:34 a.m. In that incident officers said six victims, some of whom were located by officers and others later arrived at hospitals. Police said none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.
Authorities said it took about three hours to bring the situation under control.
About three hours later, around 4:28 a.m., officers responded to another shooting at a gas station on Capital Boulevard. A fight broke out and an unidentified person shot two people, RPD said. Both victims were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Raleigh police said nine people total were injured by gunfire between the Brier Creek and Glenwood South fights, and with a related shooting on Capital Boulevard.
Raleigh police said the activity was similar to teen takeovers reported in cities across the country and that a number of juveniles involved were carrying guns. Nearly 300 officers were on duty throughout Raleigh during Fourth of July and Saturday night celebrations.
City crime data shows nonfatal shootings in Raleigh were down 11% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier.
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"What happened across our city on the Fourth of July is both heartbreaking and unacceptable," Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with every victim, every family, and everyone whose lives were impacted by these senseless acts of violence. We remain committed to identifying those responsible, holding them accountable, and working alongside our community to prevent this from happening again. Public safety is a shared responsibility, and it will take all of us-law enforcement, parents, community leaders, and residents-to ensure Raleigh remains a safe place to live, work, and visit."
Raleigh police said investigations remain active and those responsible for the shootings have not been identified.
Police received assistance from the Knightdale, Zebulon and Cary police departments, the Wake County Sheriff's Office and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
