1 dead, 8 injured in pair of shootings after college football game in Alabama

By Karina Tsui, Martin Goillandeau, Eduardo Cuevas, CNN

(CNN) — At least one person was killed and eight others injured in two nearby shootings, just minutes apart, after a college football game in Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday, officials said.

Multiple shots rang out in the 400 block of Graymont Avenue near Legion Field beginning around 7:50 p.m., and officers responded and located multiple gunshot victims, De’Rell Freeman, assistant public information officer with the Birmingham Police Department, told reporters Saturday.

The shooting happened after the Magic City Classic — an annual rivalry game between Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University, the state’s two largest historically Black universities. The classic dates back over eight decades, and Saturday’s game took place in the nearly century-old Legion Field that can seat 71,000 people.

“Multiple firearms were recovered from the scene by officers and turned into our property room,” Freeman said.

Mayor Randall Woodfin on Sunday said there were two separate shootings outside of Legion Field. The first shooting resulted in six victims, followed by a second shooting, with three victims, less than eight minutes later across the street from the stadium, Woodfin told reporters in a Sunday afternoon briefing.

While the investigation is still active, a 17-year-old is in custody on a 48-hour hold, Woodfin said. The 17-year-old, who is not affiliated with either university, had a gun with a Glock conversion switch, the mayor said.

“This afternoon, our community is still shaken,” he said. “Our community is still hurting, and we are all still trying to process the tragic events that unfolded last night.”

Among the nine victims, they range in age from 19 to approximately 30 years old, Fire Chief Cory D. Moon said at the briefing. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service dispatched to the scene at around 7:55 p.m. Saturday began treating seven people with gunshot injuries before they were transported for further medical care, he said.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene, Moon said. Among those taken to hospitals, Moon said two patients are listed in critical condition, while five patients are listed in stable condition. One person was “fighting for their life as we speak,” Woodfin said.

Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett said at a Saturday news conference he was “very grateful that more people weren’t injured.”

Most spectators had already left the stadium after the game when the shooting occurred nearby, where vendors were set up along the street, Pickett said.

The violence came one week after a mass shooting near Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, when shots were fired during a fight, wounding 11 people, including six juveniles.

There have been at least 393 mass shootings in the US so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which, like CNN, defines a mass shooting as one in which four or more people are shot, not including the shooter.

In a statement late Saturday, the Birmingham Police Department said all Magic City Classic tailgating had been suspended. Police told attendees to leave the stadium as soon as possible.

Police later asked the community for assistance in gathering video of the incident and set up a portal for witnesses to anonymously submit evidence.

Mayor Woodfin earlier said in a social media post that “no argument, no beef, no misunderstanding that can justify this level of senseless violence during a night of celebration.”

The Magic City Classic is an 85-year tradition that’s been known as family-friendly and safe, Woodfin said Sunday. Woodfin had posted pictures of himself at the game earlier on Saturday.

“We can acknowledge this tragedy without characterizing the classic,” he said. “We can demand accountability without assigning blame where it does not belong. And we can have an honest conversation about public safety while continuing to embrace and celebrate the traditions that have helped shape our city and our institution.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

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CNN’s Chris Boyette contributed to this report