PrayersUp: Roommates, please keep Greenville, Texas, in your prayers this morning. Authorities are searching for a gunman who fatally shot two people and wounded at least 14 others at an unofficial Texas A&M Commerce homecoming party Saturday night.
The shooting happened just outside of Greenville, according to CBS DFW. Videos too graphic to share were filmed at the scene and have been circulating on social media. In those videos, victims can be seen lying on the floor of the party as more gunshots are heard in the background.
“When the shots were fired, it was complete chaos as people fled for safety and deputies attempted to locate the shooter,” Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks said. “In the chaos, the suspect — or suspects — were able to flee the scene and we are working on identifying them at this point,” said Meeks. He later said they believe there was one male shooter.
Officials have interviewed at least 20 witnesses and victims so far in an attempt to identify the suspect.
“Due to the many different descriptions being provided by those in attendance of the party, we unfortunately do not have any solid suspect information to provide at this time,” Meeks said. “…It appalls me that [with] as many folks that were there, [they] have not been able to give us a better description of this shooter.”
There were about 750 people at the party, according to authorities.
Meeks said he did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the public despite the shooter being at large. He added investigators believe there was someone at the party that was targeted by the shooter but they were still following up on those leads.
“The shooter came in the back door,” Meeks said. “His first victim — we think — may have been his target victim.”
Meeks said this was based on investigator theories and circumstantial evidence that they have. Meeks did say they thought the rest of the victims were just “random.”
Meeks added there only one security guard in charge of the party and that there was “no way he could control everything that went on there.”
We continue to pray for those affected by this tragedy.
