1 dead, 8 shot at high school graduation party

ATMORE, Ala. (WKRG)

8:00 a.m.

Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks said a high school graduation party fueled by alcohol spiraled out of control early Saturday morning. One man has died and eight other people were hurt in a shooting at the old Escambia County Middle School.

Brooks said officers were initially called to the old school, which is now used as a community center, for gunshots being heard in the area at 2 a.m. Saturday.

Authorities said when officers arrived it was chaos with more than 300 people running around. Brooks said it started with two women fighting and then more people jumped in, then there were gunshots.

One person was found dead in the cafeteria. Eight others were taken to Atmore Community Hospital for treatment. One of the eight injured was flown by medical helicopter to Sacred Heart Hospital for treatment of more serious injuries.

Brooks said they have made no arrests at this time but they believe they know who they are looking for and do not believe there is a general danger to the public.

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Atmore, Ala. (WKRG) – Members of the Atmore Police department are investigating an incident at the old Atmore Middle School. It’s a possible overnight shooting that happened around 100 Martin Luther King Avenue.

We’ve reached out to Atmore Police and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in Alabama for more information.

An official at Atmore Police would not confirm what they were working on but indicated officers were still on the scene this morning. No word on how many people were hurt or how badly anyone may have been injured.