Officials Announce Indictments in Catawba County Mass Shooting Case

CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — On June 24, 2025, a grand jury handed down indictments in connection to the mass shooting at a house party near Hickory on June 1. The event, which erupted in gunfire shortly after midnight, resulted in one death and 11 other injuries when over 80 rounds were fired across several properties.

Six men have been charged with a sweeping slate of counts: conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and 63 counts of attempted first-degree murder each.

The indicted individuals are:

Garon Nathaniel Killian

Ke’Andre O’Neal Mack

Toland Huff Jr.

Zachary Michael Bates

Izaiah Kane Mitchell

Charles Rodell Kincaid III.

A seventh individual, Zoe Makenna Braswell, faces four counts of accessory after the fact to attempted first-degree murder.

District Attorney Scott Reilly described the indictments as a “major step for accountability,” noting that the attack was “deliberate, coordinated” and likely motivated by gang affiliation and personalized animosity toward partygoers.

Authorities also clarified that the sole fatality, 58‑year‑old Shawn Patrick Hood, was struck by a bullet fired by a partygoer responding to the hillside shooters, not by the suspects themselves. Consequently, no charges are being filed in connection to the victim’s death.

A massive multi-agency operation involving the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, SBI, ATF, and others collected over 700 hours of investigative effort, with more than 100 interviews conducted and extensive ballistic analysis performed.

As of June 24, at least nine suspects have been arrested, including the six main shooters and Braswell. All are held without bond—or under high bond conditions—as proceedings move forward. Court dates for the indicted are expected to unfold in the coming days.

This tragedy has drawn widespread concern over gang-related violence, public safety at social events, and legal accountability. With more indictments possible, the investigation remains active. Community members await trial schedules and further developments.