Two suspects who opened fire during a house party in a Houston suburban neighborhood Saturday night have been identified as Willie Young, 21, and Randy Stewart, 17, Reuters reported. Young is charged with deadly conduct, while Stewart is charged with aggravated assault.
According to court documents, two people were killed and 19 were injured after shots were fired at the party causing panic and chaos, Reuters reported. The party contained over 100 people who were present to celebrate an 18th birthday party.
Though many guests were affiliated with gangs, authorities have ruled out gang violence, Reuters reported. Officials initially believed the shots were fired as celebratory gunfire, but recent reports state suspects shot at two men before shooting into the crowd.
"Out of no apparent provocation, someone discharged a firearm in apparent celebration of the music," Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia told reporters on Sunday, according to Reuters.
According to Garcia, after the first gunshot was fired, another party-goer who was standing 10 to 15 feet away and had "unwisely decided he needed to bring a firearm to a birthday party, recklessly responded" and started shooting indiscriminately into the crowd, Reuters reported.
An affidavits for Young and Stewart who were arrested on Monday claims the two suspects fired at two specific individuals before shooting at other party goers, but the Sheriff's office did not immediately respond to questions, according to Reuters.
Sheriff Garcia believes the incident is due to a "birthday party gone wild" and said the party was advertised through social networks causing a large amount of people to get together in a small space. He added a parent and bouncer, who was hired to keep order at the door, were present, Reuters reported.
"What we have is a combination of immaturity, access to a firearm, and a person's inability to control one's self," Garcia said. "When you promote a party on social media, what you are saying to the world is, 'I don't know who you are, but you're invited.'"
The injuries sustained by the 19 hospitalized ranged from gunshot wounds to twisted ankles after guests ran from the scene, according to the Associated Press. None of the weapons used in the shooting were immediately recovered, though investigators said several shell casings have been found.
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