Raleigh’s Fourth of July celebrations turned chaotic overnight Saturday into Sunday as so-called “teen takeovers” at two popular gathering spots ended in gunfire, injuries, and dozens of arrests.
Police say the unrest began around 10:30 p.m. Saturday at Brier Creek Commons, where roughly 3,000 teenagers had gathered for a Star Spangled Block Party near the shopping center’s clocktower.
After the crowd was cleared from the area, a large fight broke out, and shots rang out. Two bystanders were hurt, one struck directly by gunfire and another injured by broken glass from a car window that was shot out.
Officers took a juvenile into custody at the scene and found the teen carrying a handgun, though police do not believe that person fired the shots.
Trouble Spreads to Glenwood South
Roughly half of the teens who had been at Brier Creek made their way to the Glenwood South entertainment district, where the crowd swelled to about 5,000. Officers responded to multiple shootings there beginning around 1:34 a.m., with locations including Glenwood Avenue, Tucker Street, and West Lane Street.
Six people were wounded in that stretch of violence, and authorities said none of the injuries were considered life-threatening. It reportedly took close to three hours for police to bring the scene under control.
A separate shooting followed around 4:28 a.m. at a gas station on Capital Boulevard, where a fight escalated, and an unidentified shooter wounded two more people. In total, nine people were hurt by gunfire across the three connected incidents. All of the victims are expected to recover.
Court records show at least 27 people, ranging in age from 18 to 24, now face 47 charges tied to the disorder in Glenwood South, including affray, resisting arrest, and assaulting an officer.
One warrant indicates Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce was present during an arrest and that the suspect resisted him directly. Officers also reported injuries of their own, including a cut arm and a hit to the chest.
Businesses React, Chief Vows Accountability
Local businesses voiced frustration online, with some closing early to protect staff and customers. Milk Bar wrote on social media that gun violence has no place in the nightlife scene, while Super Rad Retro Lounge said the chaos reinforces unfair stereotypes about the district.
Chief Boyce called the night’s events heartbreaking and said the department remains committed to identifying those responsible.
Nearly 300 officers were on duty citywide that night, with backup from surrounding agencies including Wake County and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. Investigators say the search for the shooters in all three incidents continues.
