Shooting Near Legion Field After Magic City Classic Kills 1, Wounds 8
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One person was killed and eight others were wounded in a shooting near Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, after the Magic City Classic college football game on Saturday, police said. The gunfire forced organizers to cancel all remaining tailgating activities, according to Fox News.
The Birmingham Police Department said officers responded shortly after 7:50 p.m. and found multiple gunshot victims. ABC News reported that the shooting happened in the 400 block of an avenue near the stadium, which hosted the annual game earlier in the day.
What police say happened
According to ABC News, Officer Darrell Freeman said at a press conference that nine people were hit by gunfire, including at least one who was confirmed dead. Freeman said one of the wounded was in critical condition and the other seven were in stable condition. Fox News, citing police, reported the same breakdown.
Officers recovered multiple firearms at the scene, both outlets reported. Freeman said the scene was still active and that information was developing, ABC News reported.
Police Chief Michael Pickett said the shooting came after the game ended. In his words, “for the most part, it was off of the property,” according to ABC News. That means the gunfire appears to have happened outside the stadium grounds rather than inside the venue, though police have not released further detail on exactly where the victims were standing.
Reports differ on whether anyone is in custody
Early coverage was not consistent on the status of the investigation. ABC News reported that police had detained at least one person in connection with the shooting and taken that person to police headquarters for questioning. Fox News, in its own report, said police had not identified a suspect and that no arrests had been announced.
Detention for questioning is not the same as an arrest or a charge, and police have not said publicly whether the person who was detained is considered responsible for the shooting. Police are asking anyone who has video footage or other information about the shooting to contact authorities.
About the game and the event
The Magic City Classic is an annual college football game between the Alabama A&M University Bulldogs and the Alabama State University Hornets, two historically Black universities, Fox News reported. Fox News, citing the event’s website, said the weekend typically draws more than 100,000 fans to Birmingham and includes a parade and large pregame tailgates in addition to the game itself.
The shooting took place after the game, according to both ABC News and Fox News. Police have not said whether the victims were attending the game or the surrounding gatherings, and the sources do not describe a motive or what led to the gunfire.
What this means for fans and residents
For the many people who travel to Birmingham for the weekend, the immediate effect was disruption. All remaining tailgating was canceled after the shooting, Fox News reported, which affects a part of the event that draws large crowds each year.
For the injured, one person remained in critical condition, and seven others were listed as stable, according to police. The victims have not been publicly identified in the reports from ABC News and Fox News.
For the investigation, the main open questions are who fired the shots, what led to them and how many people were involved. Police described the situation as active and have not said whether more arrests are expected. Authorities are asking the public for video and tips.
Officials have not yet released further details about the victims or the circumstances. Birmingham police said information was still developing as of the latest reports, and details may change as the investigation continues.
