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Teen Shot At Graduation Party

Posted: 4:16 pm EDT June 8, 2009Updated: 5:43 pm EDT June 8, 2009

An 18-year-old Powder Springs man was listed in stable condition Monday at Grady Memorial Hospital after he was shot at a weekend graduation party.

Police said at least 150 party goers crammed into a house on Hillcrest Court in Hiram Saturday night.

Officers were called by neighbors complaining about the noise -- but just minutes after police left, the shooting started.

What began as a high school graduation party at a house on Hillcrest Court in Hiram got out of control Saturday night when an 18-year-old was shot, police said.

Neighbor Sherry Davis said she had just put her son to bed when she heard the shots around 10:30 p.m.

“It was pretty scary,” Davis said. “I thought I heard a gunshot but I wasn’t sure what it was. Then I came outside and everyone was trying to get in their cars.”


DIANA DAVIS: Teen Shot At Graduation Party In Paulding County

Channel 2 Action News reporter Diana Daivs tried to get answers at the house where the shooting happened, but two teenagers who came to the door wouldn’t talk.

Inside the home, leftover party balloons and a large cake on the dining room table could be seen.

Graduation at Hiram High School was Saturday morning. Neighbors said the party for the girl who lives at the house started that afternoon. By evening, police said more than 150 people were partying, some of which were uninvited.

A fight broke out later that night and then the shooting.

“I was told some undesirables came in. Evidently they just came in looking for trouble and that’s what they did,” said neighbor Robert Holton.

Witnesses said they heard two or three gunshots.

When police arrived, they found a chaotic situation.

“With over 150 people at the party, you can imagine how outnumbered law enforcement was,” said Cpl. Brandon Gurley with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office.

Police said several people did leave the scene without talking to law enforcement.

A neighbor did call police about 20 minutes before the fight and shooting to complain about the noise coming from the party. Police checked it out, but said they left after they said they didn’t see anything illegal going on.

The victim's name has not been released. No arrests have been made.

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