Below are the mass shooting press release updates (text only) from Major Aaron Turk Public Information Officer with the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office. They are in order of most recent working back to the first press release the day of the shooting, Sunday June 1st.
Update #20 (06/06 – 01:00am)
Suspect Arrested
Toland Huff Jr, 20, a Hickory resident, has been arrested on one count of Attempted First Degree Murder. This offense is connected to the alleged crimes Garon Killian, Zachary Bates, Izaiah Mitchell and Ke’andre Mack have been charged with.
No information concerning Huff’s bond is available at this time.
Update #19 (06/05 – 11:31pm)
First Appearances
First appearances for all suspects arrested today (06/05/2025) will occur tomorrow (06/06/2025) in Catawba County District Court.
Update # 18 (06/05 – 11:13pm)
Suspect Arrested
Izaiah Kane Mitchell, 18, a Morganton resident, has been arrested on one count of Attempted First Degree Murder. Mitchell is also referred to as Zay Harris. This offense is connected to the alleged crimes Garon Killian, Toland Huff , Zachary Bates and Ke’andre Mack have been charged with. Huff is still
wanted and considered armed and dangerous.
Information on Mitchell concerning bond is not available at this time.
Update # 17 (06/05 – 10:18pm)
Name Clarification
The suspect that has been referred to by last name as both “Mitchell and Harris” is Izaiah Kane Mitchell. Mitchell is also referred to as Zay Harris.
Update #16 (06/05 – 8:17pm)
Suspect Arrested
Ke’andre O’neal Mack, 19, a Hickory resident, has been arrested on one count of Attempted First Degree Murder. This offense is connected to the alleged crimes Garon Killian, Toland Huff, Zachary Bates and Izaiah Harris have been charged with. Huff and Harris are still wanted and considered armed and
dangerous. Information on Bates concerning bond and court appearance is not available at this time.
Update #15 (06/05 – 3:41pm)
Suspect Arrested
Zachary Micheal Bates, 22, a Morganton resident, has been arrested for one count of Attempted First Degree Murder. This offense is connected to the alleged crimes Garon Killian, Toland Huff and Ke’andre Mack have been charged with. Information on Bates concerning bond and court appearance is not available at this time.
Update #14 (06/05 – 3:11pm)
Suspects Charged
Izaiah Kane Mitchell, 18, a Morganton resident, has been charged with one count of Attempted First Degree Murder. Zachary Micheal Bates, 22, a Morganton resident, has been charged with one count of Attempted First Degree Murder. These offenses are connected to the alleged crimes Garon Killian, Toland Huff and Ke’andre Mack have been charged with. Mitchell, Bates and Huff are considered
armed and dangerous.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office is also requesting assistance in locating Mitchell, Bates and Huff. Anyone with information concerning Mitchell, Bates and Huff’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office at 828-464-3112.
Update #13 (06/05 – 1:34pm)
Suspect Arrested
Zoe Makenna Braswell has been arrested for one count of Accessory After the Fact to Attempted First Degree Murder. Information on Braswell concerning bond and court appearance is not available at this time.
Update #12 (06/05 – 10:21am)
Person of Interest
Izaiah (Zae) Mitchell ,18, a Morganton resident, is a Person of Interest in connection with the Mass Shooting on Walnut Acres Dr. Mitchell is wanted for Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon from an incident in Burke County. Mitchell is considered Armed and Dangerous.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office is also requesting assistance in locating Mitchell. Anyone with information concerning Mitchell’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office at 828-464-3112.
Update #11 (06/04 – 9:18pm)
Suspect in Custody
Patrick Lee Tolbert, 22, a Hickory resident, has been arrested on three counts of Aiding and Abetting a Person Under 21 Years of Age by Allowing the Possession of Alcoholic Beverages. These charges are related to the planning and promotion of the party at the residence on Walnut Acres Dr. Tolbert received a $10,000 secured bond and has a first appearance in Catawba County District Court on 07/14/25.
No mugshot is available at this time.
Update # 10 (06/04 – 7:50pm)
Additional Suspects Wanted Suspect in Custody
Ke’andre O’neal Mack, 19, a Hickory resident, has been charged with one count of Attempted First Degree Murder. This offense is connected to the alleged crimes Garon Killian and Toland Huff have been charged with. Huff is still wanted and is considered armed and dangerous.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance in locating Mack. Mack is considered Armed and Dangerous. Anyone with information concerning Mack’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office at 828-464-3112.
Patrick Lee Tolbert, 22, a Hickory resident, has been charged with three counts of Aiding and Abetting a Person Under 21 Years of Age by Allowing the Possession of Alcoholic Beverages. These charges are related to the planning and promotion of the party at the residence on Walnut Acres Dr.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office is also requesting the public’s assistance in locating Tolbert. Anyone with information concerning Tolbert’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office at 828-464-3112.
Raekwon Malik Craig has been arrested on three counts of Aiding and Abetting a Person Under 21 Years of Age by Allowing the Possession of Alcoholic Beverages. These charges are related to the planning and promotion of the party at the residence on Walnut Acres Dr. Craig, 21, a Taylorsville
resident is being held in the Catawba County Detention Facility under no bond. Craig has a first
appearance in Catawba County District Court on 06/05/25.
Update # 9 (06/04 -3:42pm)
Additional Suspects Wanted
Update # 8 (06/03 – 10:14pm)
Garon Killian Mugshot Attached
Update # 7 (06/03 – 7:05pm)
Suspect Arrested
Garon Nathaniel Killian (20) of Lenoir, NC, has been taken into custody in relation to the mass shooting on Walnut Acres Dr. Killian has been charged with one (1) count of Attempted First Degree Murder. Killian is being held under no bond in the Newton Detention Facility and has a first appearance in
Catawba County District Court on 06/04/2025.
Law enforcement executed multiple search warrants on Tuesday as part of the ongoing investigation.
Arrests of additional suspects are anticipated. We do not anticipate releasing any additional information tonight.
Update # 6 (06/03 – 5:18pm)
Camera Footage Request Extended
As the investigation into the mass shooting on Walnut Acres Drive expands, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office is including an additional road to our request for camera footage. Investigators are seeking camera footage on the following roads near Walnut Acres Drive.
• Highway 127
• Huffman Farm Road
• Pittstown Road
• and now including Bethel Church Road
Investigators and special agents canvassed the area, but may not have made contact with everyone on Sunday. If you are located in the areas highlighted on the map, and have camera footage from the evening of May 31, 2025, to the early morning hours of June 1, 2025, contact the Catawba County
Sheriff’s Office at 828-464-3112 or upload them to http://www.fbi.gov/catawbacountyshooting
Update # 5 (06/02 – 4:39pm)
Drone Footage
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office is providing the attached drone footage for media use as you find
that illustrative.
The joint investigation into the mass shooting on Walnut Acres Drive continues. The FBI’s Evidence
Response Team and specialty teams from the lab at Quantico are meticulously processing the crime
scene. As of Monday afternoon, there are four victims still hospitalized. Investigators are aware of videos
circulating on social media related to the party and encourage people to upload them to
FBI — Seeking Information on Catawba County North Carolina, Mass Shooting
Catawba County Sheriff’s Office Newton, NC (828)464-5241
Update # 4 (06/03 – 10:04am)
Camera Footage
As the investigation into the mass shooting on Walnut Acres Drive expands, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office is asking homeowners and business owners in three specific areas for assistance. Investigators are seeking camera footage on the following roads near Walnut Acres Drive.
• Highway 127
• Huffman Farm Road
• Pittstown Road
Investigators and special agents canvassed the area, but may not have made contact with everyone on Sunday. If you are located in the areas highlighted on the map, and have camera footage from the evening of May 31, 2025, to the early morning hours of June 1, 2025, contact the Catawba County
Sheriff’s Office at 828-464-3112. Investigators are aware of videos circulating on social media related to the party and encourage people to upload them at http://www.fbi.gov/catawbacountyshooting
Update #3 (06/02 – 11:47am)
Reward Offered
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to the identity, arrest, and successful prosecution of the suspect (s) in a mass shooting in Catawba County on June 1, 2025. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office at 828-464-3112 or upload video or photos at http://www.fbi.gov/catawbacountyshooting
Update #2 (06/01 – 5:57pm)
Catawba County, N.C.- The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), are investigating a mass shooting at a home on Walnut Acres Drive. One person died and 11 others were injured, some were shot, others were hurt as they fled during the gunfire. Currently, seven people are hospitalized. The victims range in age from 16 to 57. We have notified the family of the man who was killed. He is identified as Shawn Patrick Hood, he was 58 years old and lived in Lenoir.
This crime scene spans all of Walnut Acres Drive. Catawba County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigators, the FBI’s Evidence Response Team and NCSBI Special Agents are working diligently to determine the motive for this incident and bring those responsible to justice.
If you or anyone you know attended this party and have not been contacted by law enforcement, please contact the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office at 828-464-3112. Please upload any videos or photos related to this incident to http://www.fbi.gov/catawbacountyshooting.
Update #1 (06/01 – 4:13pm)
The deceased victim connected to this incident has been identified as Shawn Patrick Hood. Hood,58, is a resident of Lenoir, NC. Hood’s next of kin have been notified. Investigation into Mass Shooting Underway
1st Press Release (06/01 – 11:45am)
Catawba County, N.C. – On Sunday, 06/01/2025 at 12:45 a.m. deputies with the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office and officers with the Hickory Police Department responded to a report of multiple persons shot at a residence on Walnut Acres Dr, which is located in the Mtn View community of
southwest Catawba County. As of this release, twelve (12) victims have been reported. One of these reported victims is deceased. Another of these reported victims is in critical condition. Several others remain hospitalized. Sheriff’s investigators along with investigators from Hickory Police Department and Special Agents with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation are at the scene of this incident attempting to establish
a motive and identify those responsible. No arrests have been made as of this release. Additional information will be released as this investigation continues. Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to contact the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office at 828-464-3112.