BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Gunfire outside Legion Field after the Magic City Classic left one person dead and eight others wounded Saturday night, Birmingham police said.
Officers were sent to Graymont Avenue West just before 8 p.m., while fans were still tailgating around the stadium after the game. Police found several people who had been shot and secured the area so rescue crews could reach them.
By early Sunday, police said one of the wounded was in critical condition and the other seven were stable.
All tailgating was shut down after the shooting, and people were told to clear the Legion Field grounds and stay away.
Investigators recovered several guns at the scene. One person was detained and brought to police headquarters to be questioned. No officers or rescue workers were hurt.
Local, state and federal agencies assisted Birmingham police at the scene overnight and are helping with the investigation.
Officers urged the crowd to get off the Legion Field property quickly and not return, and officers kept the area around the shooting closed while investigators worked through the night. Traffic leaving the grounds was heavy as the crowd cleared out.
The Magic City Classic is one of the biggest yearly events in Birmingham, drawing large crowds to Legion Field and the surrounding lots for a full day of tailgating, music and football between the two historically Black universities. The shooting broke out as many of those fans were still on the grounds after the final whistle.
Police have not said what led to the gunfire, whether the person who was detained has been charged, or released the names of the person who died or those who were hurt.
Police are asking anyone who recorded video of the shooting to send it in through the department’s evidence portal. People who share footage can stay anonymous.
Section: More Birmingham AL crime news
Filed under: Birmingham AL Crime News