A Halloween party in southeastern North Carolina turned deadly early Saturday, October 25, 2025, when gunfire erupted among a crowd of more than 300 people, leaving two dead and 11 others wounded in what authorities are calling another senseless act of gun violence.
The shooting occurred just after 1:15 a.m. at a home on Dixon Drive outside of Maxton, located approximately 95 miles southwest of Raleigh near the South Carolina border. Deputies from the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office were already en route to the location following complaints about loud music when 911 operators began receiving multiple calls reporting that people had been shot at the gathering.
By the time law enforcement arrived at the scene, more than 150 people had already fled. Deputies discovered two victims dead at the location: Jessie Locklear Jr., 49, and Nehemiah Locklear, 16, both residents of Lumberton. The younger victim’s death particularly underscored the tragedy of violence affecting teenagers at what was supposed to be a festive gathering.
The 11 surviving victims ranged in age from 17 to 43, with several arriving at area hospitals before deputies could account for them at the scene. Some injured individuals made their way to Scotland Health Care in Laurinburg and UNC Health Southeastern Medical Center in Lumberton, while one victim required air transport to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill with life-threatening injuries. Several others remained hospitalized with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries, while some were treated and released.
Sheriff Burnis Wilkins indicated that the shootings stemmed from a confrontation between two groups attending the event, which had drawn attendees ranging from pre-teenagers to people around 50 years old. The sheriff told local media that investigators believe multiple people fired shots and multiple weapons were used during the incident.
Wilkins expressed his frustration with the deadly combination of factors that contributed to the violence. “This was yet another senseless act of gun violence that has taken the lives of two individuals and left many others seriously injured,” the sheriff stated. “What makes this even more disturbing is the involvement of teenagers, alcohol, and guns at a large house party.”
The sheriff also noted that dozens of videos posted from the party on multiple platforms demonstrated the dangerous mix of alcohol and firearms, regardless of age. He emphasized that the consequences were once again tragic, pointing to a pattern of violence at large gatherings in the county.
As of Saturday afternoon, no arrests had been made, though the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office identified multiple persons of interest in the case. Wilkins expressed frustration that some individuals were cooperating while others were not, describing this as sadly common in situations involving large crowds. He referenced a similar incident in the county from one or two years prior, where more than 150 people were present but no one would provide information, leaving that murder unsolved to this day.
The sheriff noted that law enforcement was not initially aware of the party because the crowd size fell below the local threshold requiring a permit. This detail raised questions about how to prevent such gatherings from escalating into violence when authorities have no advance notice of the events.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Division is leading the investigation with assistance from multiple agencies, including the Robeson County District Attorney’s Office, Robeson County Emergency Management, Fairmont Police Department, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Authorities emphasized that there is no current threat to the community, characterizing the shooting as an isolated incident between specific groups rather than a random act of violence. However, the scale of the shooting and the number of victims highlighted ongoing concerns about gun violence at large social gatherings.
The sheriff’s office has urged anyone with information about the shooting or who attended the party to contact investigators at 910-671-3100 or via email at sheriff.wilkins@robesoncountysonc.gov. With more than 150 people fleeing before law enforcement arrived, authorities are relying heavily on witness cooperation to piece together the sequence of events that led to the deadly confrontation.
The involvement of alcohol law enforcement agencies in the investigation suggests that underage drinking may have been a factor at the party, adding another layer to the complex circumstances surrounding the shooting.
