One dead and nine injured at Halloween party shooting

Wounded partygoers drove themselves to hospital after suspected gunman opened fire

Scene of a shooting at a Halloween party in eastern Texas on Saturday night (Texarkana Texas Police Department)

A 20-year-old man was shot dead and and nine other people were wounded after a gunman sprayed bullets at a Halloween party in eastern Texas on Saturday night, police say.

Police in the city of Texarkana were called just before midnight to reports of gunfire at Octavia’s Activity Center where approximately 200 people had gathered.

The wounded were taken to nearby Wadley Regional Medical Center and Christus St. Michael Hospital by ambulance, police car, and some drove themselves.

One person was pronounced dead upon arrival, another of the wounded is in a critical condition. None of the other injuries are thought to be life-threatening, police said.

The victim’s identity has not yet been released, as next of kin are being notified.

KXAN reported multiple fights had broken out when police arrived at the event centre.

Police identified the suspected shooter, who they say left the scene in a vehicle. He hasn’t been taken into custody.

In a post on Facebook, Texarkana Texas Police Department said they were interviewing victims and witnesses.

“While the motive is still unknown, the preliminary investigation indicates that it may been the result of some type of disturbance among some the partygoers.”

Texarkana is located on the Texas-Arkansas border, about 290 kilometers east of Dallas.