CONCORD, N.C. — Four people were injured, three of them critically and one in stable condition, after being shot here on Nov. 21, 2025, during the 28th annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony, officials said Friday evening. Gunfire broke out near the intersection of Union Street S and Corbin Avenue in the midst of crowded streets at the event, police said, leading to a partial evacuation and massive emergency response.
Police, fire, and Cabarrus County EMS crews who had been working at the event responded to help victims and evacuate families, city officials said in a statement, then urged anyone with information to call 704-920-5027 or submit videos and photos through an online evidence portal that might help authorities determine who was responsible for opening fire.
The names, ages, and hometowns of the four people who were wounded have not been released by officials, who are also offering few details about what led up to the attack, according to an Associated Press report and local TV coverage. Police, who said late Friday night that no one was in custody, did not say whether they were searching for multiple suspects.
Maj. Their “thoughts are with those injured, their families, and those who witnessed this senseless act,” Patrick Tierney of the Concord Police Department said in a statement. “No one should have to experience what they went through.”
“We are praying for the safety of our brave law enforcement officers, first responders, and everyone on the scene,” U.S. Rep. Mark Harris of North Carolina penned as details began to unfold about the shooting at the Concord tree lighting.
The shooting at the Concord tree lighting shattered one of the city’s most celebratory evenings. This year, the city billed the event as its 28th annual tree lighting with Santa and Mrs. Claus, plus local food trucks on hand, a screening of “The Grinch” and fireworks — all part of what was described in a 2022 feature about the event by O’Reilly Media as a downtown block party that drew thousands.
Throughout North Carolina, questions have resurfaced about safety at holiday gatherings after an 11-year-old dancer, Hailey Brooks, was killed when a truck pulling a float failed during the 2022 Raleigh Christmas Parade. Another report on the Raleigh parade said city leaders removed motorized floats and vehicles from the 2023 parade, but paid their respects to Brooks by releasing balloons and observing a moment of silence.
The shooting also brings back painful memories of the violence that has been visited upon Concord in the past. In 2020, a state Alcohol Law Enforcement agent helping local officers confronted a carjacking suspect in front of a Sonic restaurant when the man began shooting into their vehicle, killing one Concord officer and injuring another gravely, according to a state public-safety release.
City officials said police, fire, and E.M.S. crews were already at the tree lighting and were able to immediately close off Union Street S as worshipers poured out in a shaken crowd. After canceling the remainder of the program, city officials encouraged onlookers to clear downtown and told drivers to take cloverleaf routes around the crime scene.
As investigators analyze event footage and speak with witnesses, police said community videos and pictures could also prove crucial evidence. They are requesting that anyone who was in the area of Union Street S and Corban Avenue at around 7:30 p.m. review their phones and upload any relevant recordings to our evidence portal, or contact detectives directly about the Concord tree lighting shooting.
