A planned fight between teens turned into a deadly nightmare in North Carolina — and now two families are grieving while several others fight to recover.
Police in Winston-Salem say gunfire erupted during what was supposed to be a pre-arranged fight at Leinbach Park around 9:50 a.m. on Monday, April 20. Officers with the Winston-Salem Police Department were initially called to reports of a fight, but while on the way, they learned the situation had escalated — shots were being fired.
According to investigators, a group of juveniles had planned to meet at the park, but things quickly spiraled out of control. Multiple people allegedly began exchanging gunfire once the fight broke out.
When officers arrived, chaos had already taken over. Several people were seen running from the scene, and authorities quickly discovered 17-year-old Erubey Romero Medina suffering from a gunshot wound in the parking lot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A second victim, 16-year-old Daniel Jimenez Millian, was found deeper inside the park, also with a gunshot wound. He, too, was pronounced dead.
In total, seven people were hit by gunfire. Five teenagers — ranging in age from 14 to 19 — were found injured in the parking lot, with wounds described as ranging from critical to minor. Their identities have not been released due to their ages and the ongoing investigation.
Police also confirmed that the names of any injured adults are being withheld for now, as detectives work to determine who was involved in the shooting. Early findings suggest that some of those who were shot may have also taken part in the gunfire.
“This didn’t have to happen,” Police Chief William H. Penn said during a press conference. “I’m frustrated, I’m angry, I’m sad. This is senseless.”
Officials are now urging the community to speak up. Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’Neill said it’s likely someone knew about the planned fight beforehand — and could have prevented the tragedy.
“I can’t help but believe somebody out there knew this was going to happen and didn’t pick up the phone,” he said, calling the situation “incredibly sad” and “completely avoidable.”