4 shot, 2 critically wounded after uninvited guest opens fire at birthday party; suspect at large
WILSON, N.C. (WTVD) -- Officers with the Wilson Police Department (WPD) said four people were wounded by gunfire during a birthday party at the fairgrounds. Two of the four are in critical condition, WPD said in a news release.
The police department said officers were dispatched around 12:20 a.m. Sunday on a shots fired call at the Wilson County Fairgrounds.
Officers located three victims who had been struck by the gunfire. Witnesses to the shooting told investigators they were celebrating a birthday when Braulio Fuentes-Martinez, 18, who was not invited showed up.
According to witnesses Fuentes-Martinez was asked to leave several times but refused. They said he went to his car and came back with a firearm and fired about four to five shots into the crowd.
The bullets hit four people and two of them were juveniles. After shooting into the crowd, Fuentes-Martinez hit someone with his car when he tried to leave the scene. He then collided with three vehicles, disabling his, and took off on foot, according to a news release from Wilson PD.
Three of the victims were taken to the Wilson Medical Center and ECU Health Medical Center. One was taken to the hospital.
Police said two victims are in critical condition and two were treated and released. The person struck by Fuentes-Martinez's vehicle sustained minor injuries, WPD said.
Warrants were obtained on Fuentes-Martinez for several counts of attempted first-degree murder. The investigation is ongoing and investigators said additional charges are pending.
He has not been arrested as of Monday night.
ABC11 News reached out to Nash County Public Schools and learned Fuentes-Martinez is a student a Southern Nash High School.
On Monday the school operated on a soft lockdown at the recommendation of the Nash County Sheriff's Office, but according to district leaders, there was never a direct threat made to the school.
The high school sent an email out Tuesday morning saying the soft lockdown was no longer active. ABC11 checked with law enforcement to see if Fuentes-Martinez was in custody; he remains at-large.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to contact the Wilson Police Department at 252-399-2323 or Crime Stoppers at 252-243-2255.
