At least one person was killed and eight others were injured in two distinct shooting attacks that took place within minutes of each other near Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The violence erupted on Saturday evening shortly after the conclusion of the Magic City Classic, an annual rivalry football game between Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University.
Authorities reported hearing multiple gunshots around 7:50 p.m. local time. De’Rell Freeman, a communications advisor for the Birmingham Police Department, stated that officers arrived at the scene to find several victims of gunfire. Multiple firearms were subsequently recovered by police and transported to an evidence facility.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin clarified on Sunday that the incident involved two separate attacks in the stadium's vicinity. The first attack injured six people, followed less than eight minutes later by a second shooting across the street that struck three additional individuals. Most spectators had already left the stadium when the violence occurred, though vendors were still set up along the street.
The nine victims are reported to be between 19 and approximately 30 years old. Cory D. Moon, chief of the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service, confirmed that one person died at the scene. Among those transported to hospitals, two patients remain in critical condition while five are stable. Mayor Woodfin noted that one individual was still fighting for their life.
Investigations are ongoing, but a 17-year-old suspect has been detained and is being held for 48 hours. The mayor stated the teenager has no affiliation with either university and was carrying a weapon equipped with a conversion device for a Glock model. In response to the tragedy, police suspended all tailgating activities related to the event and urged attendees to leave the area immediately.
The Magic City Classic is an 85-year-old tradition known as a family-friendly event held at the nearly century-old Legion Field, which has a capacity of 71,000. Mayor Woodfin expressed that the community remains shaken by the senseless violence during a night meant for celebration. He emphasized the need to hold those responsible accountable without defining the historic event by this tragedy, while also calling for an honest conversation about public safety.
Sources: CNN Brasil.