Four Shot at Concord Christmas Tree Lighting; Suspects Identified in Targeted Shooting

It was supposed to be magic — the twinkling lights, the carolers, the smell of hot cocoa drifting through the crisp North Carolina night. But at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 21, 2025, that magic shattered when gunfire erupted during the Concord Christmas Tree Lighting CeremonyConcord on Union Street South. Four people fell, all of them teenagers. Three were in critical condition. One, thankfully, was stable. And in the chaos that followed, the Concord Police Department did something almost unheard of: they identified all three suspects within 12 hours.

Not Random. Not Chaotic. Personal.

The Concord Police Department didn’t mince words. This wasn’t a random act. It wasn’t a crowd panic gone wrong. Police Chief Jimmy Hughes called it a targeted incident — a violent clash between people who knew each other. "A night of celebration for our community was interrupted by senseless violence," Hughes said. "But our community showed great strength. People helped strangers. Businesses locked doors to shield families. Officers moved in like clockwork." That clarity — that this was personal — changed everything. It meant the victims weren’t just bystanders. Two of them were shooters. Two were caught in the crossfire. And all of them, somehow, were teenagers.

The Suspects: A Web of Names and Warrants

The names came fast. The first was Nasir Ahmad Bostic, 18, of Concord. He was one of the shooters. He was also shot — critically — and remains hospitalized. Warrants were issued for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inciting a riot. His name appeared in some reports as "Nazir Ahmad Bost," a small inconsistency that’s common in fast-moving investigations.

Then came the second shooter: an unnamed 17-year-old, also critically wounded. His identity is still being withheld, likely due to his age and the juvenile justice system. But police say he’s connected to Bostic.

The third suspect? Kevyn Rashaw Bostic, 17, also of Concord. He wasn’t shot. He wasn’t firing. But police say he helped the shooters flee. Charged as an adult with accessory after the fact and inciting a riot, he was arrested within an hour of the shooting. His last name matches Bostic’s — a possible family tie, though police haven’t confirmed it.

And then there were the two other teens shot — both 17. One was released after treatment. The other remains in critical condition. Their names haven’t been released. Their role in the incident? Still unclear.

How the City Responded

The scene was chaos — screams, running families, the sudden silence after the shots. But the response was orderly. Concord Police, Concord Fire, and Cabarrus County EMS were already on-site — they’d been stationed for the event. They didn’t wait for backup. They moved. They treated. They evacuated.

Local businesses helped. One diner turned its parking lot into a triage zone. A hardware store gave out flashlights when the power flickered. A grandmother pulled her grandson into her coat and ran — not away, but toward the nearest officer.

"It was the opposite of what you expect," said WCNC Charlotte reporter Siobhan Riley, who was on scene the next morning. "People were helping each other. Not running from each other."

What Happens Next?

Despite everything, the city didn’t cancel. Not the parade. Not the Santa Scramble 5K. The 97th Concord Christmas ParadeConcord rolled on Saturday at 2:30 p.m., just as scheduled. Thousands lined the streets. Many wore red and green. Some wore ribbons with "Concord Strong." Police say they’re reviewing hundreds of videos and photos submitted through their public portal. They’ve asked for footage from security cameras, cell phones, dashcams — anything from that 15-minute window between 7:20 and 7:35 p.m. The public response has been overwhelming.

The investigation is now focused on motive. Why here? Why then? Why these kids? Police say they’re tracing social media activity, school connections, and past conflicts. There’s no indication of gang ties or broader threats to the public. But the question lingers: what happened in the hours before the lights went up?

Why This Matters Beyond Concord

This wasn’t a mass shooting. It wasn’t a terrorist attack. But it’s a quiet, chilling kind of violence that’s becoming more common — teens, caught in cycles of personal conflict, turning violence into a resolution. And they’re doing it in places where safety is assumed: school events, holiday gatherings, town squares.

In 2023, a similar shooting at a Christmas tree lighting in Baton Rouge left three injured. In 2022, a fight escalated into gunfire at a youth festival in Columbus, Ohio. Each time, police say it was "personal." Each time, the community is left wondering how to protect kids from each other.

Concord’s response — swift, transparent, community-centered — could be a model. But the wounds run deeper than bruises. The real question isn’t who pulled the trigger. It’s who was left behind to pick up the pieces.