June 17 (UPI) -- Twenty-two people were injured and one suspect died in a shooting early Sunday during an arts festival in Trenton, N.J., authorities said.
Four people, including a 13-year-old boy, were in critical condition after the shooting. They were among about 1,000 people that attended the 24-hour event, police said. Seventeen people had gunshot wounds, police said.
During a late-morning news conference, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri said the shooting appears to be the result of a "neighborhood beef" and is not related to terrorism.
Gynshots began around 2:45 a.m. Sunday at the Art All Night Trenton 2018 festival at the Roebling Wire Works Building.
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Several individuals opened fire in the venue, police said. One, a 33-year-old man, died and another was taken into police custody. Police said multiple weapons were recovered.
Onofri said officials believe an officer shot the deceased suspect.
"It absolutely could have been worse given the confined space and the number of shots that appeared to have been fired," Onofri said.
Irving Higginbotham said he was shot four times.
"Everybody was having a nice time. The next thing you know, there were gunshots, got shot in the leg, fell on the ground, and that was it," Higginbotham said to WABC-TV.
Angelo Nicolo said he saw one person with a gunshot wound to a leg.
"And all of a sudden, my brother goes to me, 'You hear that gunfire?' I go, 'It sounds like fireworks.' He said, 'No, that's gunfire.' " Nicolo said to WABC-TV. "Next thing you know, we turn around and everybody's running down the street. All hell broke loose."
The 12th annual event started at 3 p.m. Saturday and was scheduled to run until 3 p.m. Sunday, featuring 1,500 pieces of local art, live murals, live art instructions and 60 plus musical acts performing on three stages.
On the Art All Night Facebook page, event organizers said they were canceling the rest of the event, and posted: "We're very shocked. We're deeply saddened. Our hearts ache and our eyes are blurry but our dedication and resolve to building a better Trenton through community, creativity and inspiration will never fade. Not tonight. Not ever."
