8 hurt, 1 killed in Birmingham shooting after Magic City Classic

One person died and eight others were wounded in a shooting near Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday night. The incident occurred after the annual Magic City Classic football game, according to the Birmingham Police Department. Chief Michael Pickett stated that most spectators had already left the stadium property when the shots were fired.

The shooting took place along Graymont Avenue, where vendors had set up their stalls. Pickett expressed relief that more people were not injured. Police spokesperson De’Rell Freeman said authorities detained one individual and transported them to police headquarters for questioning. Multiple weapons were found and secured at the scene, though the specific circumstances of the attack remained unclear.

Nearly 70,000 fans attended the game, which marked the conclusion of a rivalry spanning more than 100 years between Alabama State and Alabama A&M. Alabama A&M defeated Alabama State 31-28. The event is known for drawing some of the largest crowds in the nation for its college football division. Alabama State coach Eddie Robinson Jr. has proposed creating a Hall of Fame for the game.

The Birmingham shooting was part of a cluster of violent incidents across the country on Halloween weekend. In Dallas, police planned a news conference for Sunday to address multiple reports of overnight shootings in the downtown Deep Ellum neighborhood. Meanwhile, six people were shot near the University of Delaware campus in Newark, Delaware, shortly after 11:10 p.m. on Saturday. All six victims were transported to hospitals, and one stretch of Main Street was closed for several hours.

Lt. Greg D’Elia of Newark police confirmed the number of victims in Delaware. Video shared on social media showed people running for safety from the scene. The incidents highlight a pattern of violence occurring during large public gatherings and holiday weekends.