Brier Creek restaurant workers say fireworks masked gunfire — before crowds poured in

Employees at Brier Creek say they initially mistook gunfire after a Fourth of July celebration for fireworks until customers ran inside seeking safety.

Not long after Brier Creek Commons’ “Star-Spangled” block party ended Saturday night, police responded to a fight near the Regal Brier Creek movie theater and Target during what they called a “teen takeover” involving about 3,000 young people. The Fourth of July event featured a DJ and fireworks and was advertised as one of the Triangle’s “largest fireworks shows.”

Gunshots were fired, and two bystanders were reported injured, sending people running into surrounding businesses.

Brier Creek Commons, a nearly 800,000-square-foot shopping center, is home to retailers like Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, TJ Maxx and HomeGoods, along with restaurants and entertainment venues.

Managers at the Regal theater and Target referred questions related to the incident to their corporate offices.

Employees at several restaurants said the holiday crowds and fireworks made it difficult to distinguish gunshots from the celebration until customers poured into their businesses and police arrived.

“This is the first Fourth of July it got that crazy,” said Alissa Upton, a manager at Brixx Wood Fired Pizza.

Upton has worked at the restaurant for nine years and said previous Fourth of July celebrations brought large crowds and occasional disturbances, but nothing like Saturday night.

She said crowds fled the shopping center after the gunfire and police vehicles surrounded the Target while crime scene tape blocked off the area.

The restaurant stayed open throughout the night, but staff locked the doors and allowed people seeking shelter to come inside.

At Greek Fiesta, restaurant manager and co-owner Nadir Bouche said staff didn’t immediately realize shots had been fired. He heard what sounded like “loud bangs” but assumed they were fireworks.

“I saw people running, but that usually happens on Fourth of July,” he said.

Staff at several other businesses said they also thought the gunfire was fireworks, which continued throughout the block party and elsewhere around the shopping center.

Raleigh leaders are now considering possible responses to help prevent future incidents.

Mayor Janet Cowell announced Monday that the City Council will discuss several options during a City Council meeting Tuesday, including whether to impose a curfew for people ages 17 and younger.

A Beer Garden staffer, who did not want their name published, said they would support more security measures during large gatherings in Brier Creek, including requiring minors to be accompanied by an adult and having police approach people who appear to be underage and alone.

Others said they don’t believe Saturday night’s violence will become an ongoing issue.

Carlos Becerra, manager of Cabo Mexican Cuisine, which opened about six weeks ago, said he’s still relatively new to the commons but considers Brier Creek a “good area” where he doesn’t typically encounter rowdy customers.

This story was originally published July 6, 2026 at 5:11 PM.