7 people shot at park in Washington state: 'Careless act of violence'
7 people shot at park in Washington state: 'Careless act of violence' Lakewood police believe the shooting was not random, and it stemmed from a conflict between to groups that escalated.
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At least 1 killed in mass shooting at Fairmount Park
Reports say multiple people were injured and at least one person was killed in a shooting near Lemon Hill Drive on Memorial Day.
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Seven people were shot at a park in Washington state on Wednesday, May 28, police said.
The Lakewood Police Department said in a Facebook post that seven people, ranging from ages 16 to 38, were shot at shortly before 8 p.m. local time at Harry Todd Park in the city.
Police also said on May 29 that two out of the seven victims remain in serious condition, while one is in critical condition and the four others are in stable condition. Five of the victims were found at the park, while two others walked to local hospitals, police told KOMO News.
"Most of these people were unintentionally struck during this careless act of violence," police wrote in its Facebook post. "Detectives will continue to sort through the information gathered to hold those involved accountable for their actions."
Why do police believe the shooting happened?
According to the social media post, police believe the shooting was not random and stemmed from a conflict.
"Currently detectives believe that this incident began as a dispute between two groups that escalated to gunshots," police wrote. "There is no threat to the public and this was not a targeted attack on park goers."
As of May 29, no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting.
Police describe scene at American Lake Park during shooting as 'chaotic'
Police told KOMO that the scene at the park was 'chaotic' once they arrived, as many families and children were present when the shots rang out.
'We've had these couple days here where the sun finally came out and it's been a gorgeous time for people to get out and enjoy the park, the lake and then you have something like this that happens,' Lakewood Police Sgt. Charles Porche told the Seattle, Washington-based TV station.
In the police's initial Facebook post on May 28, the department said the "scene was hectic because many of these people were trying to leave the park after hearing the gunshots."
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
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