Gunshots Disrupt Christmas Tree Lighting in Concord, N.C.

CONCORD, N.C. — Gunshots disrupted the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in downtown Concord on Friday evening, Nov. 21, 2025. The incident occurred around 7:40 p.m., shortly before the planned fireworks display. A WCNC Charlotte photojournalist reported hearing shots just as he was filming the event.

Emergency crews quickly arrived on the scene, with at least one crew tending to an injured person. Officers cordoned off the area with crime scene tape as chaos unfolded.

Brett Ford, a balloon artist who was present at the event, described the scene. ‘We had a line of probably 250-300 people, and then all of a sudden, you heard what you thought was fireworks, but it’s about 40 minutes early for the fireworks,’ Ford said. ‘And then all panic broke loose. Everybody scattered, everybody started running, people were falling down.’

Longtime Concord resident Teresa Harris expressed her frustration after hiding in a pizzeria’s bathroom during the incident. ‘Everybody’s traumatized!’ she exclaimed. ‘People are on the floor in the restaurant, they’re crying. Children are shaking, parents are hovering over their children. This is ridiculous. This is not something that you want to experience, especially at a family event.’

Another attendee, Donna Leatherman Cooke, recalled the event’s earlier joy before the shooting occurred. ‘It just became chaotic,’ she said. ‘Everybody was running in different directions. At that point, it was hard to organize the situation.’ Cooke also added, ‘There’s no room for violence in our world.’

As of the latest information, the circumstances leading up to the shooting remain unclear. The city government confirmed the shooting happened around 7:30 p.m. and announced the remainder of the event was canceled. Authorities have urged visitors to leave the area and asked drivers to find alternate routes.

Anyone with information about the shooting is encouraged to contact the Concord Police Department at (704) 920-5027. This article will be updated as further details become available.