Resident raises safety concerns after Tar Heel shooting, cites tailgate parking and after‑party disorder

A Bladen County resident urged commissioners on July 21 to consider public-safety and parking controls after a fatal shooting in nearby Tar Heel highlighted risks from large trail-ride events and associated after‑parties.

At public comment, Lucas McNeal described a weekend trail-ride event and a subsequent after‑party that he said routinely fills both sides of a two-mile stretch of road with parked vehicles and people loitering on private property. McNeal said the after‑party was scheduled to run 8 p.m. to midnight but often continued past 1 a.m. He said a fatal shooting that occurred roughly 400–600 yards from his house heightened concerns about whether inadequate parking, security or crowd control at the after‑party could endanger nearby residents.

"If this event had taken place, if these guys would have argued for 3, 4, or 5 more minutes and it would have taken place a little further down the road...who's to say it couldn't have ended up coming into my house," McNeal said during public comment.

McNeal told commissioners he had spoken earlier with a county staffer (Mr. Cameron) and asked what, if anything, could be done legislatively. He clarified he was not objecting to the trail ride itself but to the unsupervised after‑party that followed.

Commissioners acknowledged the concern and said staff would check into the event logistics and any applicable permitting or public-safety options. The transcript records no formal board directive or change in county permitting rules during the meeting; commissioners said staff would follow up.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to examine options and report back; no enforcement action or ordinance change was adopted in this meeting.