A North Carolina family gathering ended in tragedy Saturday after a shooting killed a 7-year-old boy and wounded several others.
Officers responding to calls about the shooting were flagged down by the boy's family, who say that he was shot while playing outside in the front lawn, according to NBC News.
"It's a sad state of affairs in the city and our country when a 7-year-old boy can't be free to celebrate a birthday party without being murdered," said Deputy Chief J.W. Estes.
Estes said that they are conducting a search for the gunman, utilizing police dogs on the ground and helicopters scouring the area from above.
The 7-year-old died from his injuries shortly after the attack, but two others, another child and two adults, were wounded as well and were successfully treated at the scene, Chron reported.
The shooting may be linked to multiple other calls received during that same time period.
Police are still trying to make connections and discover a motive amid the ongoing investigations, according to USA Today.
Estes says that though it's still a bit too early to determine the criminal connection, there is a broader connection in that this, too, was a "senseless, tragic loss of life."
