Snapchat used to plan deadly Catawba County party shooting, search warrants reveal
The shooting happened on June 1, 2025, at a large house party on Walnut Acres Drive, where nearly 100 people attended.
More than 80 shots were fired, killing one person and injuring at least 11 others.
PREVIOUS: Ninth arrest made in Catawba County mass shooting case
According to the search warrants, suspects used Snapchat to talk about the attack both before and after it happened. One of the suspects, Garon Killian, allegedly told others ahead of time that he planned to 'air it out,' a phrase witnesses said meant he intended to 'open fire.'
Investigators now believe this shooting was tied to a criminal gang network.
During interviews with authorities, Killian said he, along with Toland Huff Jr., Ke'Andre Mack, Zachary Bates, and Izaiah Mitchell, were all involved in gang activity.
Gang activity suspected in Catawba County mass shooting as four suspects face judge
He reportedly admitted they often used their phones to talk about illegal operations, and he told agents he used his phone to discuss the shooting before and after it happened.
The warrants also detail a meeting that happened at a Waffle House on May 30, just days before the shooting. FBI sources said Killian and Huff met with others there and discussed the upcoming party, warning that if Raekwon Craig, who they called 'Leek,' hosted the event, 'they better watch out.'
That story was backed up by another witness, who told the State Bureau of Investigation that she was with Killian and Huff at a house in Lenoir before the shooting. She said Killian mentioned the party and told them to 'scope it out.'
Shots, screams heard on neighbor's security camera down the street from Catawba County mass shooting investigation
After the shooting, Killian and several others reportedly fled to Charlotte. He later admitted to handling a High Point handgun believed to have been used in the attack, court documents state.
Now, law enforcement is digging into the suspects' cell phones and digital footprints, asking for everything from GPS data and IP addresses to messages and app usage, from May 1 to June 4. Investigators believe access will help understand the full scope of who was involved.
So far, nine people have been arrested in connection with the shooting. Charges range from attempted first-degree murder to helping minors obtain alcohol:
Garon Killian, attempted first-degree murder
Toland Huff Jr., attempted first-degree murder
Izaiah Mitchell, attempted first-degree murder
Ke'Andre Mack, attempted first-degree murder
Zachary Bates, attempted first-degree murder
Charles Rodell Kincaid III, attempted first-degree murder
Zoe Braswell, accessory after the fact
Raekwon Craig, aiding underage alcohol possession
Patrick Tolbert, aiding underage alcohol possession
Police said this investigation remains open and ongoing. Anyone with further information, photos, or video is asked to call the Catawba County Sheriff's Office at 828-464-3112.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Muslim woman says CA deputy stomped on hijab in lawsuit and 4 more legal cases
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists. Thousands of legal cases reach U.S. courts every year. From accusations of mistreatment in prisons to fraud to sexual abuse and beyond, here are some of the latest from across the country. Social Security worker steals $110K from 28 people while working in GA, feds say In Georgia, Christina Daniels, a former Social Security Administration employee, is facing prison time after pleading guilty to stealing over $110,000 from 28 beneficiaries, federal prosecutors say. Daniels rerouted their payments to accounts she controlled using Cash App and Green Dot, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia. She faces up to 10 years in prison, prosecutors say. | Published June 30 | Read More Woman assaulted by boss accused of yearslong sex harassment in Georgia, feds say A federal lawsuit in Georgia says the owner of Action Insulation Co. sexually harassed an office manager for years, escalating to physical assault, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The woman resigned after her complaints were ignored, according to the EEOC, which is suing on her behalf on violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The lawsuit accuses the owner of inappropriate comments and touching from 2016 to 2024. | Published July 1 | Read More Family being 'violently' stalked finds knife, note on doorstep in CA, feds say In Southern California, a family was terrorized by threatening calls and found a knife and note on their doorstep, the FBI says. Two men, Xiang Li and Bowen Zhou, are accused of stalking the family over a supposed debt, leading to a shooting at the family's home, according to the FBI. The men face federal stalking charges. | Published July 2 | Read More Muslim woman says deputy stomped on hijab, left her exposed. She's suing in CA Two Muslim women in California have filed a federal lawsuit against a sheriff's office, saying deputies forced them to remove their hijabs in jail, violating their religious rights. Shenai Aini and Salma Nasoordeen were arrested during a protest, and Aini says a deputy stomped on her hijab, leaving her exposed, according to the lawsuit. The Orange County Sheriff's Department denies the accusations. | Published July 3 | Read More 22-year-old beaten daily by head chef at Hawaii restaurant wins $3M, lawyer says In Hawaii, a jury awarded $3.15 million to Andrew Debellis, a former sous chef who endured daily beatings from a head chef at Margotto, a Honolulu restaurant, his attorney says. The jury found that the restaurant's owner, Kazutomo Robert Hori, was aware of the abuse but allowed it to continue, according to attorney James D. DiPasquale. Debellis suffered physical and emotional injuries, his attorney said. | Published July 3 | Read More McClatchy News continues to follow lawsuits and legal cases from around the country. Check back for more legal stories.
The Hill
3 hours ago
- The Hill
We all have a role in stopping political violence
The shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses last month have shaken the political world and sparked a response from leaders of both parties. Yet, even as State House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband, Mark, were laid to rest in St. Paul this week, the news cycle had already moved on to a new tragedy. We mustn't let this story fade, and we can't wait until the next attack. Political violence is absolutely unacceptable, and we have to do more than just condemn it; we must address it head-on now. America has a problem, and the shootings in Minnesota are a stark reminder that divisive rhetoric framing our political opponents as enemies has real consequences. As Minnesotans grieve and State Sen. John Hoffman (D) and his wife, Yvette, recover post-surgery, political leaders and voters in both parties must come together, denounce this violence and offer tangible solutions to lower the temperature of our national political discourse. Our country has always had a political violence problem. However, there has been a noticeable spike in public acts of political violence over the last decade. In 2017, a gunman shot and nearly killed Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) at a congressional baseball practice. A year later, police arrested a man after he mailed pipe bombs to high-profile Democratic officials. Just weeks before the 2020 election, the FBI intercepted a plan to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and arrested eight paramilitary extremists. On Jan. 6, 2021, a mob of rioters stormed the Capitol to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. Dozens of Capitol police officers were viciously attacked. In October 2022, Paul Pelosi was hospitalized after an attacker broke into his home looking for then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). During the 2024 presidential campaign, there were two assassination attempts against President Trump and bomb threats in Ohio after he openly promoted false and hateful claims about Haitian immigrants. Just this year alone, a conspiracy theorist torched Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's (D) home, two Israeli diplomats were assassinated in Washington and, now, the tragedy in Minneapolis. If that sounds like a lot, it is. This is not normal. These incidents provide an ominous picture of our current political landscape and underscore how misinformation, hyper-polarization and the televised crackdown on political dissent spark real-life harm — a pattern we've seen repeated in communities across the country. Amid a tumultuous political landscape, threats against local elected officials have been on the rise. There has also been an increased number of threats levied against marginalized communities, including Black, Indigenous, Latino, immigrant, gay, and particularly against transgender people. Political violence is not only perpetrated by individuals and extremist groups, but by elected officials as well. Just last week, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem allowed federal agents to forcibly remove Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) from her press conference and place him in handcuffs after the senator attempted to ask a question about the immigration raids and protests in Los Angeles. This sends a clear message: When you disagree with the administration publicly, you can expect to be manhandled by armed government agents. And President Trump's pardons of approximately 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants, including some who were convicted of violent actions, have created an atmosphere where certain types of violence are praised. Hate speech and violent rhetoric are also violence, as verbal threats significantly impact how someone can engage in the political process. While speaking about the ICE protests around the country, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said on the Rubin Report podcast that drivers could run over protestors, two days before thousands of Floridians were set to join the 'No Kings' protests. Robust disagreement is important. The U.S. is full of different values, views, backgrounds and preferences, and still, hundreds of millions agree on the shared value that democracy — and not political violence — is how we resolve our disputes. The good news is that Americans are not as far apart as we think we are, and we have more in common than what divides us. Recent surveys consistently find that the vast majority of Americans across the political spectrum reject political violence. This spans political ideologies, age groups and identities. Americans agree that violence should never be a tool of democracy. To turn the tide, we must hold our elected leaders accountable for their violent speech and actions. Throughout U.S. history, progress has been achieved non-violently: when people have organized together, exercised their rights of free speech and assembly, participated in elections, and ensured that abusive power holders are held accountable. The women's suffrage movement, the labor rights movement and the Civil Rights movement are a testament to this, despite the intimidation and violence these movements faced along the way. These moments in history remind us that democracy is strongest when people push back together, not just in one place but collectively across the country. In our everyday lives, the best way to counter violence is through getting to know our neighbors and getting involved in our communities. Making the effort to inoculate yourself against disinformation is essential to turning down the temperature. Standing up against bigotry and hate is another way to fight back. When people are targeted with threats, violence and the taking away of their rights because of who they are, we must all speak out. Fortunately, we aren't in this fight alone. Organizations such as mine, among many other groups, work around the clock to monitor possible threats, deeply analyze the issues, and provide responses to violence and attacks on our freedoms. During the 2024 election, local, state and national organizations came together with thousands of volunteers to support people in voting without fearing for their safety. These coordinated responses show the power in national solidarity, where communities band together to speak out, act and protect each other across regions and identities. Change starts locally and takes time, but there is so much that we can do both collectively and as individuals. Our democracy works best when all voices can be heard. It's up to every one of us to reject political violence and intimidation in all of its forms — our elected officials must be brave and follow the lead of the majority of Americans. Virginia Kase Solomón is CEO of Common Cause.
The Hill
3 hours ago
- The Hill
FBI, DHS warn of ‘lone wolf' July 4 attacks
(NewsNation) — As millions of Americans prepare to celebrate this Fourth of July holiday weekend, authorities across the country are on alert for potential lone wolf attacks. Ongoing global conflicts, as well as possible copycats, have prompted a notice from federal law enforcement agencies urging the public to stay vigilant. Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffendaffer told NewsNation that lone wolf attacks are the most common type of terrorism in the U.S. 'If you look over the past five years, 93% of attacks in the West have been by lone wolves,' she said. Federal agencies across the country are telling people to be aware, with the most concern about that lone wolf style of attack during this Fourth of July holiday week. With the holiday falling on a Friday, it's going to be a busy one and a lot of folks are taking time off already. In a joint bulletin, the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and other law enforcement agencies said individuals or small groups motivated by political, racial or personal grievances are most likely to target large gatherings like the Macy's fireworks show in New York City, or other celebrations across the country. The agency has also warned about potential copycat attacks following the New Year's Day incident in New Orleans. Individuals shouldn't be paranoid, Coffindaffer said, but should be paying attention to their surroundings. 'How can you get out of a particular corridor that you might be in if something bad were to happen? Are you looking to make sure that the street blockades are in the proper location, and if not, you can notify somebody,' she said. 'How about social media? Have you seen anything coming across your social media that is wrong, where people are threatening or doing something?' They say global conflicts, including tensions with Iran and the Israel-Hamas war, are also contributing to that heightened threat environment. The Department of Homeland Security told News Nation it's enhancing security measures right now and coordinating with federal, state and local partners to keep celebrations safe. Coffindaffer said those measures can include things like barricades and removal of things like trash cans, which could be used to conceal an explosive device, as well as monitoring crowds. 'You're looking for everything from backpacks being left to suspicious activity of individuals, sometimes people dressed in inordinately warm clothing,' she said. Officials emphasize there are no specific credible threats at this time, and they are just asking people to stay vigilant and if they see something, say something.
