At least 10 teenagers are injured after a shooting at a high school football game on Friday in Mobile, Alabama, according to local reports.
The shooting occurred at Ladd-Peebles stadium where Mobile Police say at least 10 people have been injured, their ages 15-18, reported local station WKRG. There was a football game at the 33,000 capacity stadium between Leflore High School and Williamson High School.
Williamson beat Leflore 10-0. Witnesses say they heard shots fired after “a fight in the stands” a few minutes after the game ended, according to multiple reports.
Police have confirmed two people are in custody, and are being questioned, WKRG reported. Police have not confirmed whether the two are the shooters.
The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department (MRFD) said that of the 10 people who were transported to area hospitals, five of them transported by the MFRD were in critical condition but did not have life-threatening injuries, according to the news station.
Meanwhile, of the other five injured, three were transported to the hospital by private ambulance service, and two were driven to the hospital by private vehicle.
According to Fox 10, at least six individual shots were reported as having been fired. Mobile Police Chief Lawrence Battiste said that most of those who were injured were on the LeFlore side of the stadium.
Battiste added that one of the victims sent to hospital also suffered a seizure.
Police are treating the case as an active shooter situation.
“Mad is an understatement,” Battiste told reporters. “I was disappointed more than mad.”
“Why are the young people bringing this type of violence to public events? They’re bringing their beefs that they have with each other in their neighborhoods and they’re putting other people in harm’s way.”
“We’re going to have to be more aggressive on our end, the city, as to how we hold the individual accountable when they go before the courts. We have got to make sure they understand that we will not tolerate juvenile violence in our community,” Battiste told reporters, according to KRON.
CBS 42 TV Sports anchor Simone Eli posted a video on Twitter showing the scene at the stadium grounds.
“This is just horrific to watch from Ladd-Peebles Stadium,” she wrote. “Football coaches instructing players to take cover, fans hiding under the stands from a suspected shooting. This is a high school football game and should be a place of fun competition for everyone! Not violence!”
This is just horrific to watch from Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Football coaches instructing players to take cover, fans hiding under the stands from a suspected shooting. This is a high school football game and should be a place of fun competition for everyone! Not violence! #Mobile pic.twitter.com/MmA1oP9LTW
— Simone Eli (@SimoneEli_TV) August 31, 2019
Fox 10 published the following statement from Rena Philips, the director of communication Mobile County Public School System:
“It is sad that something like this happened at a high school football game, where our athletes were having a good game on the field.
“We do not know all of the details as this is a Mobile Police investigation, so we will have to refer all further questions to the [Mobile Police Department].”
This story may be subject to updates.
