By Chantal Da Silva —
NBC News
Police in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, are investigating multiple shootings that appeared to be related and left seven people injured Sunday night, according to authorities.
The Winston-Salem Police Department said in a statement early Monday that officers had responded to reported shots fired at "multiple locations" on Sunday.
"Preliminary information indicates that
the scenes are all related
," said the department's public information officer, Kira Boyd.
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The officer said the seven injured in the shootings had suffered
"non-life-threatening injuries
. "
"This is an active and ongoing investigation and is not considered a random act of violence," Boyd added.
Police told Winston-Salem-based NBC News affiliate WXII-TV that officers had initially been called to the 900 block of Bethlehem Lane around 7:50 p.m. for multiple reports of shots fired.
When they arrived, officers found
more than 50 spent shell casings from various caliber weapons,
police said.
While investigating, officers received a report of
two shooting victims in their 30s
at a nearby location.
Agents located the two victims, who had sustained gunshot wounds to the head and face, WXII-TV reported.
Both were taken to the hospital with injuries that are not life-threatening.
While assisting the two victims, officers were alerted that there were
four
more victims who had been shot near the 2000 block of East 25th Street, near the Prince of Peace Baptist Church, WXII reported.
Three people, aged 21, 31 and 31, were taken to hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, while a fourth refused medical attention.
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A
seventh victim,
24, was identified after arriving at the hospital with a gunshot wound to the torso.
Police said that victim appeared to have been shot while she was in the 2000 block of East 25th Street.
Police did not provide details on possible suspects or a motive for the shooting.
The violence in the North Carolina city unfolded as the United States grappled with a wave of mass shootings across the country.
On Sunday, one person was killed and five others were injured in a shooting as Asian worshipers gathered at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods in Southern California.
In Buffalo, 10 people were killed and three others were injured at a supermarket Saturday in a racially motivated mass shooting.
It came a day after a mass shooting in downtown Milwaukee left at least 17 injured Friday night, shortly after fans began leaving an NBA playoff game.
