At approximately 12:45 a.m. on Sunday, police were dispatched to a residence in Hickory, which is roughly 60 miles northwest of Charlotte. Upon their arrival, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office reported that 12 persons were badly injured.

North Carolina overnight mass shooting: Here’s what sheriff’s office said

According to a news statement from the sheriff’s office, “The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office and… Hickory Police Department responded to a report of multiple persons shot at a residence on Walnut Acres Dr., which is located in the Mountain View community of southwest Catawba County.”

Several victims were rushed to the hospital, and one of them is in critical condition. The Hickory Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is probing the incident. There have been no arrests so far.

A spokeswoman informed WCNC Charlotte that the remaining patients are in critical condition at local hospitals.

There had been a party at the residence, and it appeared that the shooting was connected to it, the representative added.

North Carolina mass shooting: Investigation underway, no arrest made

As of Sunday morning, authorities have not made any public announcements regarding possible suspects. They also refused to disclose the victims’ ages.

Sheriff’s investigators are collaborating with officials from the Hickory Police Department and Special Agents from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation in a multi-agency probe.

Investigators told WSOC that at least one suspect started firing during a house party that hosted about 100 guests. Many of the partygoers attended nearby high schools, according to witnesses who spoke to the outlet.

The sheriff’s office informed WBTV that it is currently investigating the shooting’s motive and trying to find the person or people who carried it out.