Shooting at Label is disheartening; so were the responses on social media

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The folks who hate when the annual CIAA basketball tournament hits town couldn't wait to chime in on social media about this breaking news. Numerous media outlets (including USA Today, The Grio, Vibe, even TMZ has video already) are reporting shots were fired at Label today during a party advertising to feature T.I., Young Jeezy, Yo Gotti and Young Dolph.

According to the Observer, two people sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The management at Label made the decision to still be open tonight.

While it's really disheartening someone or someone(s) — police haven't arrested anyone yet — was stupid enough to fire shots (not "shoot up," as some might say) inside a club during a party and risk serious injury to a lot of people over what probably will turn out to be something petty, the responses I've seen on social media have also been pretty disappointing. It's a shame that some people see this incident as an opportunity to decry the presence of CIAA in Charlotte. As if the tournament, with its accompanying celebratory parties — many of which are not even sanctioned by the conference — breeds violence.

That's ridiculous. The truth is, CIAA week is a massive yearly reunion for alumni who attended the schools a part of the conference, mixed in with locals who want to be out in the middle of all that live energy, with a few bad apples sprinkled in. And that's just like any other huge event that brings in thousands of visitors to a city. (See WBTV's story last year comparing arrest numbers from CI and Speed Street.) Anyone who says otherwise needs to seriously analyze their own motives.