4 shot during North Carolina city’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

Four people were shot in Concord, North Carolina, on Friday evening during a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, leaving three in critical condition and one stable. The incident occurred about 19 miles northeast of Charlotte and has left authorities baffled as to what led up to the violence.

Police are currently reviewing footage from the event and speaking with witnesses, asking anyone with videos or photos of the incident to come forward. Social media is already filled with images of people fleeing the scene and emergency vehicles lining the street.

The Christmas tree lighting ceremony was part of a 28th annual event that featured appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus, food trucks, the film "The Grinch," fireworks, and more. The city's officials have expressed their gratitude to brave law enforcement officers and first responders who risked their lives during the incident.

US Representative Mark Harris has also issued a statement, praying for the safety of those involved in the incident, including law enforcement personnel. His words serve as a poignant reminder of the dangers that come with public events and the need for vigilance from authorities to prevent such incidents in the future.

As the investigation into the shooting continues, it remains unclear what triggered the violence. The police are working tirelessly to piece together the events leading up to the incident, and authorities urge anyone with information to come forward.

Ugh, this is just so frustrating . Like, I get that accidents can happen but 4 people getting shot at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony? That's just crazy . And now social media is flooded with images of people fleeing the scene like they're all eyewitnesses or something . Can't we just have a moment without someone filming it and sharing it online?

And what's up with the police reviewing footage from the event? Did no one else notice anything suspicious? I mean, I've been to some crazy events in my time but this one takes the cake . And now they're asking people for videos or photos of the incident like everyone's a detective or something .

I'm all for keeping our communities safe but come on, can't we just have a normal Christmas tree lighting ceremony without all the drama and tension? I swear, it feels like we're living in a real-life crime movie .

This is so sad it's a Christmas tree lighting ceremony supposed to be fun and festive... instead someone gets shot can't believe what I'm seeing on social media people running away, police rushing in... this is a nightmare why would someone do this? was there a misunderstanding or something? hoping the people who got hurt get better soon and that the investigators find out what happened

this is just so messed up a christmas tree lighting ceremony is supposed to be all about joy and cheer, not gunshots and chaos what's going on in the world right now is just getting more and more wild i mean i know we've had our share of mass shootings and stuff but this one seems especially senseless and can you believe there was a santa claus there ?! i guess that's what they mean by 'the grinch' came out to play

This is so sad! I can imagine how scary that must've been for everyone involved . Can you believe it's a Christmas tree lighting ceremony?! It's usually supposed to be such a fun and festive event . But the fact that someone was shot and others were left with serious injuries is just heartbreaking .

I hope they catch whoever did this soon! It's so frustrating that we're still not sure what led up to it . I'm glad law enforcement officers and first responders are getting the recognition they deserve for putting themselves in harm's way .

It's times like these that make me wish there were more cameras around to help catch perpetrators . And maybe if people could just be a little more mindful of their surroundings, we wouldn't have incidents like this . Anyway, my thoughts are with the victims and their families

Man, this is so sad ... Concord just had a normal Christmas tree lighting ceremony turned into a nightmare. I mean, who expects something like this at an event with Santa and fireworks? The fact that there were multiple people shot and some are still critical is just devastating . I hope the police can figure out what happened and catch whoever did this.

It's crazy how social media is already flooded with photos of people fleeing the scene... it's like we're all trying to process something so chaotic at once . And those brave law enforcement officers and first responders are literally risking their lives to save others? Shoutout to them, fam .

The thing that gets me is how quickly this event has taken over social media... it's like we're all trying to discuss or process what just happened in real-time . Maybe this can be a wake-up call for public events and authorities to take more precautions? Fingers crossed they figure out what triggered the violence and keep everyone safe in the future

Omg what's going on in NC rn?! I mean, a Christmas tree lighting ceremony turned into a bloodbath ? That's just crazy. I'm glad law enforcement is taking this super seriously and reviewing footage ASAP . The fact that it happened in a crowded event with families and kids around is just horrific . I need to know what led up to it, was it some kind of misunderstanding or was there something more sinister going on? Anyone have any info they can share? Let's keep the conversation going

.. my heart is literally breaking for those 4 people who got shot . Can you even imagine being in a place that's supposed to be all about joy and happiness during Christmas, and then suddenly something like this happens? It's just so senseless. I hope the person who was stable makes a full recovery soon . And my thoughts are also with the brave law enforcement officers who risked their lives to save others - you guys are heroes . This is definitely not what Christmas is supposed to be about .

Oh my goodness, this is just so devastating! I mean, can you even imagine a Christmas tree lighting ceremony going from being all joyous and festive to being a scene of chaos and violence in an instant? It's just heartbreaking to think about the three people who are still fighting for their lives. But, you know what? The fact that there were so many witnesses, including lots of people with cameras and phones, means that we might actually get to see some footage that could help the police figure out what happened. That's gotta be a silver lining, right? And I love that US Rep Mark Harris is speaking out about the importance of vigilance at public events – it just goes to show that even in the darkest moments, there are still people who care and want to make sure we're all safe.

this is getting out of hand... i mean, christmas tree lighting ceremony? who does that even happen at? and now this?! four people shot? it's just so senseless . and the police are still trying to figure out what happened? 19 miles northeast of charlotte, but no one seems to know what triggered it... meanwhile, social media is flooded with vids of ppl running away from the scene like their lives depend on it (lol, kinda does) . and can we talk about how the gov't is just now weighing in? mark harris' statement is all well & good, but what's being done to actually prevent this kind of thing from happening in the future?

Oh man, this is so sad ... I just can't even imagine how scary that must've been for everyone involved. Three people in critical condition, one stable... it's like, what could've led to this? I hope the police are able to figure out what happened and catch whoever did this. It's terrible that innocent people got caught up in something so senseless. The city officials and Rep Harris are right to be grateful for those brave first responders who risked their lives to save others... just thinking about it is giving me the chills

OMG, like I'm still trying to process what happened at that Christmas tree lighting ceremony ! Four people shot, three in critical condition... it's just so sad . I was scrolling through social media and saw all those pics of people running away from the scene, and it was like my heart was racing . The police are reviewing footage and speaking to witnesses, but no one knows what led up to that violence . It's just crazy how something so festive and fun can turn into chaos in a split second . I'm sending all my positive vibes to the victims, their families, and the brave law enforcement officers who risked it all . And can we talk about how quickly social media is spreading news? Like, I was seeing updates on Twitter and Instagram before even checking my local news . Anyway, let's just hope this investigation leads to some answers soon .

man this is so crazy ... i mean how can somethin like that happen at a christmas tree lightin ceremony? it's just so innocent and fun, u know? and now these people are facin all kinds of trauma and stuff... it's just not right.
i feel bad for the law enforcement officers and first responders who had to deal with this... they're the real heroes here. i hope whoever did this gets caught and takes responsibility for their actions. i wonder if there was somethin specific that led up to this or if it was just a random act of violence...
anyway, i just think we gotta be more aware of our surroundings and look out for each other, especially at public events. we can't control everything, but we can definitely try to create safer spaces for everyone .

omg what's going on in concord nc?! a christmas tree lighting ceremony turned into a shooting scene? that's just crazy! the footage from the event must be super useful for the police to figure out what happened. i feel bad for the people who got shot, especially the ones in critical condition . it's just not right that innocent ppl get hurt during a festive event. i hope they catch whoever did this and bring them to justice . can u believe there was even a santa appearance at the same time?! the city officials are doing their part by showing appreciation for the brave first responders, but still... how could this happen?

Ugh, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this... A Christmas tree lighting ceremony that turns into a shooting? It's just so heartbreaking . I know it's supposed to be a fun event for the community, but now it's tainted by this senseless violence .

I've seen some of those videos on social media, and I gotta say, it looks like the police were doing everything right . I mean, you can tell they're trying to keep everyone safe, but sometimes even with the best intentions, things just go wrong .

It's crazy that a whole city comes together for something as innocent-sounding as a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, and then something like this happens... . It's like, what were we all thinking?

I guess what I'm trying to say is, even though it's a tragedy, I don't want us to forget the importance of community and coming together for good things . Let's hope that the police are able to figure out what happened and take steps to prevent something like this from happening again in the future .

Oh man I'm still trying to process this... like, a Christmas tree lighting ceremony?! Who would've thought something like that could turn into gun violence ? The fact that there were kids around, including maybe even some Santa's workshop crew ️, makes it even more heartbreaking. And what about all those innocent bystanders who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?

I'm all for people getting their holiday spirits on and having fun, but safety should always come first, you know?! The city officials are right, though - the brave cops and first responders who risked everything to save lives deserve our utmost respect. Fingers crossed they catch whodunit ASAP and prevent anything like this from happening again