After shooting, Wilson Little League cancels tournament, teams invited to DBAP to make new memories

The remaining games of a Wilson City Little League tournament for players ages 7 to 9 were canceled after shots rang out near the tournament. The league took action Monday after shots fired near a game at the J. Burt Gillette Athletic Complex, sent players, coaches and officials diving to the ground or running for cover.

The Durham sports community, however, came together to make sure the young players ended their season on a high note.

"Anything we can do to help the kids, we're definitely willing to do," said East Chatham Little League president Jesse Yeager.

Charlie Ferris' son, Theo, was one of the players on the field in Wilson when gunshots erupted.

"[I] heard some commotion on the other field and some parents kind of yelling ... a really surreal situation. Kind of like a dream, a nightmare," said Ferris.

"Kids worked so hard to get there, so a little disappointing. We wanted to finish the tournament."

At the DBAP, players had live batting practice at home plate, kickball and wiffleball stations.

"Tonight is a perfect example of Little League being a tight-knit community. We pride ourselves on that in East Chatham, and I feel like this will only make us stronger going forward as a league," said Yeager.

Organizers said it was a chance for the young players and their families to remember their love for the game of baseball.

"Just doing fun things for the kids that are also baseball-related will help them get through this," said Yeager. "Having fun, positive experiences on the field and happy memories to end their season."

"When difficult things happen, positive people in the community step up to help you," said South Durham Little League president Phillip Holmes.

Wilson police have said there is no evidence to indicate the baseball game was targeted, but they also haven't figured out who fired the shots, from where and why.

Parents believe Little League game was target of gunfire; police disagree

In the same post, league officials announced that the Durham 7-8 All-Star team would withdraw from the tournament, even before the event was canceled.

"You like to think that it’s safe, and, you know, an event like this shatters that safety," said Holmes.

"There was no way we could ask these kids to step back into that environment just a day or two later."

"The bullets hit the ground next to my son, and the other players, his teammates," a parent who was in the stands told WRAL News.

'It's something I will never ever forget': Parents, coaches react after gunshots rang out near a little league tournament in Wilson

While Holmes was not in Wilson on Sunday, he said, "As a league we are working to provide them with mental health resources, both parents and players."

That starts Tuesday night with an evening of fun at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The Bulls invited the players who were involved in Sunday's suspended game to hit some balls, eat some food and watch a movie at the ballpark.

"It won’t take the place of the more traumatic memory," Holmes said. "But hopefully they can carry something positive out of it."

The Wilson Police Department asked that anyone with information regarding this case contact them at 252-399-2323 or Crime Stoppers at 252-243-2255.