Newly released 911 calls reveal that residents in North Charleston, South Carolina, alerted dispatchers to armed individuals, gunfire, and a situation one caller described as a "full-out war" shortly before police officers were assaulted during a massive Fourth of July block party.
Recordings obtained from Charleston County Dispatch indicate that multiple residents contacted authorities around 8:30 p.m. as the city-permitted block party in the Chicora-Cherokee neighborhood began to spiral out of control. Callers reported seeing people openly carrying guns, hearing repeated gunfire, and expressed fear for their safety as hundreds of attendees gathered. The situation escalated to the point where multiple officers were assaulted.
One of the earliest callers reported armed individuals near Calvert Street and North Carolina Avenue, stating "Everybody got guns" and pleading for police assistance. This caller also reported hearing gunfire and observed a blue Dodge Charger with armed individuals nearby.
As officers responded, another resident described the rapid deterioration of the situation. "I called 45 minutes ago and asked to have officers come out here to break up a group of kids with firearms, and now there's like a full-out war going on outside my f------ front door," the caller told a dispatcher. This same caller later reported observing what appeared to be muzzle flashes, describing people shooting at each other.
Another resident reported seeing teenagers firing a handgun into the ground across the street, with one individual tucking the weapon into their waistband. A different caller reported hearing three gunshots moments after someone in the crowd shouted, "Get the strap."
As the violence intensified, some residents reported arming themselves while awaiting police. One caller stated, "I have my gun in my hand. If they come on my property I will kill somebody," and reported hearing 20 to 30 shots, adding, "We need people posted out here."
Dispatch logs show officers arriving to find over 500 people at the gathering and requesting all available units to help disperse the crowd. Police initially responded around 8:30 p.m. to reports of fireworks being fired toward vehicles before learning that firearms were being discharged.
Officers repeatedly ordered the crowd to disperse, but multiple fights broke out, and additional gunfire was reported, leading officers to leave their patrol vehicles to restore order. Authorities confirmed that multiple officers were assaulted, including two female officers who sustained minor injuries. Viral video from the scene shows one officer being pulled to the ground during an attempted arrest.
Investigators recovered multiple firearms, including a weapon described by police as a machine gun, and a makeshift spear. Four juveniles and two adults have been charged in connection with the incident. The North Charleston Police Department stated that the investigation remains active, and further arrests are possible. 
