A peaceful Juneteenth celebration near a Willowbrook, Illinois, shopping center descended into chaos early Sunday morning as gunfire erupted, leaving one person dead and at least 20 others injured. The DuPage County Sheriff’s office confirmed the incident, which occurred shortly before 12:30 a.m. near Honeysuckle Rose Lane and Route 83. Deputies on patrol in the area responded to the sound of numerous gunshots where a large gathering was taking place.

According to Deputy Chief Eric Swanson, initial reports from witnesses and victims indicate that over 20 individuals sustained gunshot wounds. Authorities have confirmed one fatality. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, and the investigation is ongoing.

The aftermath of the shooting showed a parking lot strewn with debris and cordoned off with police tape. The scene, located approximately 20 miles southwest of Chicago, was described by one witness, Craig Lottie, as “chaos,” in an interview with FOX32 Chicago.

Several witnesses who spoke to local news outlets recounted how the Juneteenth celebration turned violent when shots rang out. Markeshia Avery, another witness, told WLS-TV, “It was supposed to be like a Juneteenth celebration. We just started hearing shooting, so we dropped down until they stopped.”

Officials reported that multiple victims were transported to nearby hospitals, while some individuals with injuries transported themselves. Currently, there is no information available regarding the victims’ ages or conditions, nor have authorities released details about potential suspects or the type of firearm used in the incident. The investigation remains active.