Woman killed at bonfire party at Halifax horse ranch, people tried to smuggle 27 guns into event

Around 1:30 a.m., deputies with the Halifax County Sheriff's Office responded to shooting at a party at the Double D Ranch, a horse farm at 1662 Green Acres Road in rural Halifax County.

A 25-year-old woman, Cierra Webb, from Roanoke Rapids, was killed.

Webb's father posted a tribute to her on Facebook that read, "Never ever did I imagine I would be typing this message to you. We're heartbroken."

Family members told WRAL News Webb leaves behind a young daughter.

Deputies said more than six people may have been injured at the party, which had hundreds in attendance.

According to a witness, an argument between a group of women took place before the shooting, and multiple shots were fired. The sheriff's office said people ran to their cars, and others began firing.

Video from Facebook shows people running across the street and hiding behind cars as multiple gunshots can be heard.

Four people who were shot were in stable condition on Sunday, and one person was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition.

Those shot were identified as:

Another person, Keona Pulley, from Rocky Mount, injured her shoulder while trying to escape the shooting.

Dennis Harvey runs the Double D Ranch.

He claimed the shots were fired outside the event, and the party had multiple security checkpoints set up to stop weapons from getting inside.

"We tried our hardest to put a stop to it," said Harvey. "We really did, but it’s not easy."

Harvey said security he hired for the event found 27 guns that people were trying to smuggle into the party.

"These weapons were found in the bottom of coolers, these weapons were found in boots, these weapons were even found in hats," said Harvey. "So we stopped these things from getting through our gate and putting our supporters at risk."

The sheriff's office said the private party was hosted by a DJ, and a party was held at the same site last weekend without incident.

The sheriff's office said a party in Rocky Mount last month thrown by some of the same promoters saw a large fight break out and one person was stabbed.

On Monday, three of the five promoters listed on the flyer for the Rocky Mount party in October told WRAL News they had no affiliation with the Halifax County party: The Herd Club, Rico Suave and AK The Voice. WRAL News reached out to the other two promoters of the Rocky Mount event. One declined to comment and the others has yet to return a message.

"We had not been asked to work security at this party. We also did not receive any ABC permitting requests either ... we had no idea this party was being held," the sheriff's office said in a statement, adding the event was held in "a very remote area with very few residents."

The sheriff's office didn't receive any calls about noise or complaints until the first 911 calls about the shooting.

Harvey said he's not a member of the event promoter group, and he's taking steps to ensure this doesn't happen again.

"Unfortunately, because of what transpired last night, we will no longer have events here for the public at the Double D Ranch," said Harvey.

It was unclear if there was a single shooter or multiple shooters. No arrests have been made.

Investigators told WRAL News, despite the large number of attendees, it has been difficult to find anyone with helpful information.

Anyone who attended the party or who has any information is urged to contact the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 252-583-8201. You can also report information online at Halifax County Crime Stoppers.

“It was helping to prevent them from being in the streets, being a statistic, being in the jail cells or being in the squad car,” Harvey said. “And it gave them exposure to a new way of life: the country style of life.”

Harvey grew up in foster care in Washington, D.C., where he saw firsthand how poverty and lack of opportunities could draw young people down the wrong path.

“The purpose of the Double D ranch is to try to convert our young people from the streets to the saddle, from the pavement to the pasture,” he said.