The gunfire broke out near Birmingham's Legion Field shortly after Alabama A&M beat Alabama State 31-28.
One person was killed and eight others were wounded in a shooting outside Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, just after the annual Magic City Classic between Alabama A&M and Alabama State. The shooting happened just before 8 p.m. local time, shortly after Alabama A&M beat Alabama State 31-28.
Police arriving at the scene found multiple gunshot victims. A person has been detained and multiple firearms were recovered from the scene. The incident led to the suspension of postgame tailgating around the rivalry game, which draws large crowds to the city every year.
Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett addressed the scale of the event in a statement. "Everyone knows this is the largest event we have here in the city and it's extremely taxing on our personnel," he said, adding that other law enforcement leaders had quickly offered support. He closed by praising his department, saying "our Birmingham police officers are true heroes."
The Magic City Classic is one of the most prominent HBCU football rivalries in the country, and the shooting cast a shadow over what is typically a celebratory weekend for both schools and the city of Birmingham.