Gunfire erupts at graduation party in Virginia, leaving 1 dead, 7 hurt

A 20-year-old man was fatally shot and seven other young people were injured after gunfire erupted during a graduation party in central Virginia, police said Saturday.

Two separate fights between attendees of the mostly outdoor party in Chester were reported shortly before police received a call about shots fired late Friday night, Chesterfield County Police Maj. Brad Badgerow said at a news conference.

It was not immediately clear whether the incident was a gunfight with multiple shooters, Badgerow said, though he noted officers had recovered more than 50 casings of four different calibers.

Whether that means it was four people shooting I can't tell you that. But it looks like there were at least four different weapons that were fired, he said.

The department said when officers arrived at the scene, they discovered 20-year-old Taborri J. Carter of Petersburg suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers rendered aid, but he died at the scene.

Five other shooting victims had already left the scene before police arrived, according to a news release that said their injuries appeared to be non-life-threatening.

Two other people were injured when they were struck by a vehicle as they fled the shooting, police said.

Those injured ranged in age from 16 to 21 and were from Chesterfield or nearby localities.

The party, which had been advertised on social media, drew about 50 to 100 people, Badgerow said.

An investigation is ongoing. No arrests or suspect information had been released as of Saturday afternoon.

The party took place in a residential area of Chester, which is about 24 kilometres south of Richmond.