A violent mass shooting at Leinbach Park in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has left two teenagers dead and five others injured, after what police say began as a planned confrontation that quickly escalated into gunfire. The tragic incident has shocked the community and left investigators working urgently to understand how a meeting between juveniles turned deadly.
According to the Winston-Salem Police Department, officers were dispatched around 9:52 a.m. after reports of a fight in progress at the park. While units were en route, they received updated information that gunfire had erupted and multiple people had been struck, prompting an immediate emergency response.
When officers arrived at Leinbach Park, they found a chaotic and dangerous scene with people running in different directions. In the parking lot, they located 17-year-old Erubey Romero Medina suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A second victim, 16-year-old Daniel Jimenez Millian, was found inside the park and also died from his injuries.
Investigators said early findings suggest the violence stemmed from a pre-arranged confrontation involving groups of juveniles. Officials believe the situation escalated quickly when the groups met at the park, resulting in an exchange of gunfire that left multiple people wounded and two teenagers dead.
In addition to the fatalities, five others were injured in the shooting. Authorities said the victims include a 14-year-old girl, a 15-year-old girl, a 17-year-old girl, an 18-year-old male, and a 19-year-old female. Some of the injured were later found near 3474 Robinhood Road, and officials said their injuries range from minor to critical, with all receiving medical treatment.
The Winston-Salem Police Department confirmed that a total of seven people were struck by gunfire. Investigators are still working to determine each person’s involvement, noting that some of the injured may have also participated in the exchange of gunfire. The investigation remains active, and officials are urging anyone with information to come forward as they work to bring clarity and accountability to a tragedy that has left the Winston-Salem community grieving.