Two Hickory men at the center of a deadly Catawba County pool-party shooting case were back in court this week, as a sprawling investigation inches closer to trial. Ke'andre Mack and Charles Kincaid appeared in Hickory district court on Tuesday while prosecutors pressed ahead with charges tied to the June 1, 2025 attack.
The shooting, at a home in the Mountain View community, left one man dead and 11 others wounded and triggered a multijurisdictional investigation that has already produced multiple arrests and grand-jury action. This week’s hearings marked the latest public step in a case that local officials clearly are not treating as a one-and-done party bust.
According to WCNC, court records show Mack was scheduled to appear between 10:30 a.m. and noon on Tuesday, while Kincaid was listed for an afternoon hearing between 3:20 p.m. and 4:50 p.m. Prosecutors have charged Mack with attempted first-degree murder and say Kincaid is accused of helping plan the attack and transporting alleged shooters to and from the scene.
How investigators say the shooting unfolded
Investigators say the mass shooting broke out just after midnight on June 1, 2025, at a home on Walnut Acres Drive when gunfire erupted from an elevated position toward the backyard pool party. Authorities estimated that at least 80 rounds were fired across the property. A 58-year-old man, Shawn Patrick Hood, was killed, and victims ranged in age from 16 to 58, according to the Associated Press. The crime scene stretched across multiple yards and roadways as law enforcement collected evidence and canvassed neighbors.
Officials say the gathering had been promoted on social media, drew roughly 100 people and that some attendees paid an admission fee, with the party’s focus centered on the backyard pool, per WBTV. Investigators also told reporters that some partygoers were armed and returned fire, which made it harder for forensic teams to determine exactly who did what. North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement joined the probe to examine underage-alcohol issues tied to the way the event was promoted.
Local authorities arrested and charged eight people in the weeks after the shooting, WRAL reported. Investigators say they have interviewed more than 70 witnesses while building the case, and the sheriff’s office continues to request home-security and cellphone video from residents, according to WCNC. Some defendants face alcohol-related counts tied to hosting or promoting the party, while others are charged with attempted murder.
In late June a grand jury returned indictments against seven suspects, including Mack and Charles Rodell Kincaid III, with each indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and dozens of attempted-murder counts, as outlined by ABC11. One co-defendant was indicted on accessory-after-the-fact counts, prosecutors said. Authorities told reporters the indictments reflect investigators' estimate of the number of people who were in the line of fire that night.
Legal status and next steps
The charges, including conspiracy and dozens of attempted first-degree murder counts, are felonies that will be handled in Catawba County Superior Court and carry severe penalties if convictions follow, according to court records and media reports. Judges have scheduled staggered initial appearances and bond hearings as prosecutors prepare pretrial filings and defense lawyers get ready with their responses. The FBI and state investigators remain involved while the case moves toward formal prosecutions.
Investigators continue to ask anyone with video, photos or tips to upload them to the FBI tip portal; WBTV notes the bureau set up a portal at tips.fbi.gov, and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office can be reached at 828-464-3112. Law enforcement has urged homeowners and nearby businesses to check security cameras from the night of May 31 into the early morning of June 1.
Court calendars show follow-up hearings are already on the books as prosecutors file motions and organize evidence. For now the case remains very much active, and the sheriff’s office says it will keep seeking community help while investigators and the district attorney’s office push the matter through the courts.
