A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder in connection with a deadly mass shooting at a house party over the weekend, which left one person dead and 11 others injured, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
According to the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect, Jaron Nathaniel Killian of Lenoir, was taken into custody and is being held in jail as investigations continue. Officials said more arrests may follow as the case develops.
The incident took place early Sunday morning in a typically quiet residential neighborhood in southwestern Catawba County, approximately 11 kilometers south of the city of Hickory.
Law enforcement reported that at least 80 rounds were fired starting around 12:45 a.m., causing panic and chaos among partygoers. Witnesses described scenes of fear and confusion as people ran for their lives, dove for cover, and jumped into their vehicles to escape.
Some of the victims were directly hit by gunfire, while others were injured while fleeing the scene. Emergency services responded quickly, and multiple people were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The sheriff’s office also confirmed that search warrants were executed on Tuesday as part of the ongoing investigation. Authorities are working to determine the motive behind the attack and whether additional suspects were involved.