A pre-Labor Day shooting early Sunday morning at a nightclub located between Windsor and Midway sent two men to the hospital while another victim was treated for his injuries.

Bertie County Sheriff John Holley said deputies responded to a call just after midnight on Aug. 31 at the One Step Up nightclub located at 1536 US-17 North after receiving reports of shots being fired.

However, no one at the establishment could provide the officers with any information, nor did they mention anything about a shooting having taken place.

Holley said the owner of the establishment was asked to close down for the evening, but he declined the request from law enforcement and the club remained open.

Then, shortly after 3 a.m. deputies again responded to a call at the same address and this time found there were victims of a shooting in the parking lot and as many as seven vehicles, also in the lot, had been struck by gunfire.

Two of the shooting victims were transported to Vidant Bertie Memorial Hospital in Windsor – one with a gunshot wound to his right leg and the other with gunshot wounds to his right arm and chest.  Sheriff Holley says he is not releasing the names of the victims at this time because an investigation into the shooting is still ongoing.

A third victim received what officers called a ‘flesh wound’ to the leg and he was treated, but no one would say whether the treatment was at the site of the shooting or elsewhere.  The third victim did not require hospitalization.

The prior two victims were transported later Sunday morning from Windsor to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville where as of last report they had been released.

Investigators believe as many as four different weapons were used in the shooting because officers found four different shell casings in the parking lot.

Meanwhile, impeding the investigation is a lack of witnesses coming forward to provide information.

“This makes the investigation really hard when you can’t get anyone to talk,” said Holley. “Our office has received numerous complaints from nearby residents of this club regarding gunfire and loud noise.”

Holley went on to say there is movement to close down the establishment, but he would not elaborate.

“Oftentimes these days people go to a club with an agenda and innocent people sometimes get caught in the crossfire,” the sheriff continued. “It’s just dangerous out there for peaceful folks.”

Holley says he believes whatever led up to the events of that morning actually began at another location and eventually it made its way to the nightclub.

“We’re trying to close the place down,” the Sheriff reiterated. “Enough is enough.”

Holley said no charges have been filed to date regarding the incident.