By admin 
FAISON, N.C. (WNCN) — Three people were injured in a shooting early Sunday at a gathering in Sampson County that investigators believe was targeted and may be connected to a series of recent shootings in the area, the sheriff’s office said.
Read more Days after trading Ball, Charlotte Hornets reportedly trade Bridges to the Suns: ESPN
According to the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around midnight to a reported shooting in the 9200 block of Faison Highway, where they found one person suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
The victim was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover, according to authorities.
While deputies were responding to the scene, emergency dispatchers learned that two additional victims had arrived at a nearby hospital with minor gunshot wounds they sustained during the same incident, the sheriff’s office said.
The Clinton Police Department was called to the hospital, which was briefly placed on lockdown as a precaution to ensure public safety, according to the sheriff’s office. Those two victims are also expected to recover.
CRIME TRACKER — Sign up for CBS 17’s newsletter with the latest in local crime
Deputies believe the shooting was a targeted attack and may be connected to a string of shootings that have occurred across Sampson and Duplin counties in recent weeks, the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities said investigators determined that multiple people fired shots during the incident, with gunfire stretching from the home into the parking lot of a Dollar General along Faison Highway.
Read more Play is underway in ideal conditions on the opening day of Wimbledon
According to investigators, the victims had been attending an unofficial house party that had been promoted on social media before the shooting.
The sheriff’s office said there is no indication of an ongoing threat to the general public.
Deputies also said people at the scene have provided little information to help identify those responsible for the shooting.
While responding to the call, one deputy was forced off the road after an oncoming vehicle attempted to pass in a no-passing zone on Faison Highway, according to the sheriff’s office.
Authorities said the deputy took evasive action to avoid a head-on collision, causing the patrol vehicle to leave the roadway and enter a ditch. The patrol vehicle sustained minor damage, and the deputy was evaluated at Sampson Regional Medical Center but was not seriously injured, the sheriff’s office said.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Deputies said they urge anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office at 910-592-4141.
Read more Jury selection begins in trial of man accused in deadly I-40 road rage shooting in Wake County