A shooting near Birmingham’s Legion Field killed one person and wounded eight others Saturday night after the Magic City Classic football game, police said, according to The Guardian.
Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett said most fans and families had already departed the stadium grounds when the shooting occurred nearby along Graymont Avenue, where vendors had set up. The circumstances surrounding the gunfire remained unclear in the newspaper’s Sunday report.
Police spokesperson De’Rell Freeman said officers detained one person and took them to police headquarters for questioning. Police also recovered and secured multiple weapons. The report did not establish what role, if any, the detained person had in the shooting.
The annual matchup between historically Black universities Alabama State and Alabama A&M brought nearly 70,000 spectators to the stadium. Alabama A&M won 31–28.
Pickett described the Classic as Birmingham’s largest event and said it places heavy demands on police personnel. He thanked other law enforcement leaders for quickly offering assistance.