Vendors struck near Legion Field as mass shooting kills one
The attack occurred after the Magic City Classic game, where nearly 70,000 fans watched Alabama A&M defeat Alabama State.
By Yasmin Nasser ·
Fans leaving the Magic City Classic football game in Birmingham, Alabama, faced a new danger on Saturday night when a mass shooting occurred just outside Legion Field. Police reported that one person died and eight others were wounded in the attack. The violence unfolded near vendor booths set up along Graymont Avenue, an area where spectators had gathered after the event.
Michael Pickett, chief of the Birmingham Police Department, explained that most families and spectators had already departed the stadium property when the gunfire started. He described his relief that the casualty count remained lower than the crowded venue might have suggested. Pickett stated he was "very grateful that more people weren’t injured." The specific circumstances leading to the shooting remained unclear to investigators as of the report.
De’Rell Freeman, a police spokesperson, confirmed that one individual had been detained and transported to police headquarters for questioning. Freeman added that officers had located and secured "multiple weapons" at the scene. The incident added to a series of violent events reported across the country during the Halloween weekend holiday.
The annual contest between Alabama State and Alabama A&M, two historically Black universities and longtime rivals, drew nearly 70,000 attendees to the stadium. Alabama A&M secured a 31-28 victory in a game that has been played for more than 100 years. The event is recognized for attracting some of the largest crowds in its college football division. Alabama State coach Eddie Robinson Jr., a former NFL linebacker and school alumnus, has proposed establishing a Hall of Fame to honor the game's deep history.
Other cities reported similar incidents on the same weekend. In Dallas, police planned a news conference for Sunday to address "multiple" reports of overnight shootings in the downtown Deep Ellum neighborhood. Meanwhile, Newark, Delaware, police Lt. Greg D’Elia said six people were shot shortly after 11:10 p.m. Saturday near the University of Delaware campus. All six victims were transported to hospitals for treatment, and one stretch of Main Street was closed for several hours as people fled the scene.
