The 365th mass shooting of the year occurred over the weekend at a college party in Greenville, Texas. Two people are dead and another dozen are injured. Police are still searching for a suspect.
The gunman opened fire at an off-campus party that Texas A&M University-Commerce students were attending. Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks told the press the shooter entered through the back door of the off-campus event space, The Party Venue, at around midnight early Sunday and killed a supposed target before shooting into the crowd. The Halloween and homecoming party was not affiliated with the university and took place about 15 miles from the school’s campus.
Seven hundred and fifty people — including the shooter — fled the scene. Officers were at the venue responding to a parking complaint and heard the shots. Authorities on Monday identified Kevin Berry, Jr., 23, a father of two with another on the way, and Byron Craven, also 23, as the two victims who were fatally shot.
Four other victims were in critical condition Sunday, Sgt. Jeff Haines, a spokesman for the sheriff’s department told reporters.
Some of the victims were shot while others were injured by being trampled or hit by glass in the chaos, Haines said.
The Dallas Morning News reported that The Party Venue has a capacity of 500, but that there were about 750 people at the event. Though there were hundreds of witnesses, no one has been able to provide a description of the shooter.
Hunt County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Buddy Oxford told the press the only detail officials have so far is that the Greenville shooter was wearing a blue hoodie. He also used a handgun, which the officers have yet to recover.
The violence continued Sunday when Berry’s family held a vigil for him at a Dallas park. At least one person opened fire, and police said the shooting stemmed from a “disturbance” at the vigil. No injuries were reported but at least one vehicle was struck.
The shooter or shooters are still at large, and officers are imploring the public for help identifying who it may be.
Haines told the Dallas Morning News that the lack of tips from the public is impeding the investigation. He urged those who have information — even if they do not want to work with law enforcement — to speak up.
“We need your help,” he said. “We don’t know what the motive of this individual was. We don’t know why this individual did what they did and we don’t know if they plan on doing it again.”
There have been more mass shootings than days — both this year and this month alone — in the United States.
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