An eruption of gunfire broke out at a large, spontaneous car club meet up in Methuen that left 7 shot, two injured critically and another with serious injuries sustained in a fall in the chaotic aftermath of the violence, according Methuen police and the Essex DA’s office.

The shootings occurred at a large gathering of young people driven by social media, Essex DA Paul Tucker said.  The people involved are range in age from late teens to 22, he said.

Considering the number of gunshots fired, Tucker said, “it’s pretty amazing that more people were not hurt.”

“There were hundreds of people here” Tucker said, describing the scene as chaotic.

The gunfire erupted at approximately 1:55 a.m. in the area Lindberg Avenue, Methuen Police Chief Scott McNamara said at a media briefing Sunday morning.

– Developing