One person died and at least eight others were injured in a shooting outside Birmingham's Legion Field after Saturday's Magic City Classic, police confirmed. The violence occurred near an area where fans and vendors had gathered for postgame tailgating following the college football matchup between Alabama A&M and Alabama State.
The shooting took place shortly before 8 p.m. Central time near the intersection of Graymont Avenue West and Fourth Street West, just outside the stadium. According to AL.com, police and emergency personnel responded to calls from the scene. Birmingham police directed people to leave the area surrounding Legion Field shortly before 9 p.m.
The game had drawn a crowd of more than 70,000, approaching a sellout, to watch Alabama A&M defeat Alabama State 31-28. Speaking to media outlets afterward, Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett said he was “very grateful that more people weren't injured” in the shooting that followed the game.
Birmingham police officer De'Rell Freeman said authorities had detained one person and taken that person to police headquarters. Freeman also said multiple weapons had been collected. During a brief news conference with local media, Pickett described the violence as “two senseless acts of violence.”
Pickett placed the incident in the context of violence occurring beyond Birmingham and called for a community response. In remarks reported by AL.com, he said the issue was one seen across the nation and emphasized that addressing it required the involvement of the community.
The chief also praised the officers who responded, describing them as “true heroes.” He said he had run alongside officers toward the sound of gunfire and pointed to their courage and resilience as evidence of their dedication to saving lives.
As investigators worked on the case, Pickett said the FBI was assisting Birmingham police. He asked members of the public to submit any video of the incident and urged anyone who had seen or heard something that could help investigators to come forward.
His appeal included people who might already have been recording on their devices when the shooting occurred. Pickett encouraged witnesses to share information even if they believed it had little value, stressing that material they considered insignificant could still be submitted to police for investigators to review.
