UPDATE: 'It's a miracle that no one is dead' following shooting

Jul. 19—Four women and a man were wounded in a mass shooting at a block party in Milledgeville early Sunday.

Hundreds of gunshots were fired from various caliber handguns and long guns.

The victims' injuries were not life-threatening.

"It's a miracle that no one is dead," Milledgeville Police Chief Dray Swicord told The Union-Recorder during a telephone interview Monday morning.

Swicord said although there were no suspects as of Monday, the shooting was "definitely gang-related."

The police chief said at least six or seven vehicles were damaged by gunfire along with several houses.

"We picked up multiple rounds from different caliber weapons," Swicord said. "We picked up an assortment of shells from the scene."

They included .45-caliber, .40-caliber, .9mm and .223-caliber rounds.

As of Monday, detectives and road patrol officers with the Milledgeville Police Department were still investigating what is the city's worst shooting this year.

"We don't have any suspects at this time," Swicord said.

The shooting happened shortly after 12:30 a.m. at the intersection of Leo Court and Nobles Court in the Castlewood subdivision.

"As officers were arriving on scene, a large crowd was fleeing the area," according to a police department press release. "Officers located multiple vehicles and houses that had been struck by gunfire."

As police officers and detectives arrived at the scene of the shooting, officers received information that multiple victims were brought to the emergency department of Atrium Health Navicent hospital in Milledgeville. All five shooting victims were taken to the local hospital by private vehicles, police said.

The victims were all listed Sunday in stable condition.

Swicord identified the victims as Miyah Pittman, 18; Shantera Ford, 17; Kasmere Blair, 18; Walteria Dean, 19; and Derrick Lewis Jr., 18.

Swicord said road patrol deputies from the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office assisted police officers at the scene, as did troopers from the Georgia State Patrol post in Milledgeville.

Swicord said police knew about the block party beforehand because it was posted on social media leading up to the event.

"Obviously, residents living in that neighborhood had known for a while that the block party was going to take place there this weekend," Swicord said.

The police chief said uniformed officers in marked patrol cars drove along Leo Court several times before the shooting.

"The only incident we had prior to the shooting was someone had parked a vehicle near a driveway of a residence, and we were called to have that person remove the vehicle," Swicord said.

Witnesses told police that several people showed up with weapons, including long guns.

"And shots just started ringing out," Swicord said.

More than 1,000 were in attendance at the block party, the police chief said.

The investigation into the shooting was continuing Monday afternoon.

Detectives are seeking information from the public to help them find the person or people responsible for the shooting.

"Obviously, somebody knows something with that many people being there," Swicord said.

Anyone with information should call the Milledgeville Police Department at 478-414-4090. Those with information are asked to speak with a detective.

Tips also can be phoned in to the Macon Regional Crimestoppers at 478-742-2330.