One person has died injured in a shooting in Detroit after an argument broke out at an NFL tailgate party.
A dispute led to gunplay that left a Detroit resident in his 40s dead, a second man in his 20s hospitalized in critical condition and a suspect in custody at around 4:30pm local time Sunday.
The horrific incident is said to have occurred at a tailgate in the Eastern Market area near the Lions’ Ford Field stadium following Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The incident, which occurred at Shed 6 of Eastern Market – a designated tailgating space for Detroit Lions fans, began as a result of an argument, which escalated into a shooting, the Detroit Police Department said.
A suspect was apprehended and is in custody, Chief James White confirmed. The man, who is said to be in his 30s, is a CPL holder.
One person has died injured in a shooting at an NFL tailgate party in Detroit Sunday
A suspect was apprehended and is in custody, Chief James White (pictured) confirmed
‘A large fight broke out (which) disbursed after a few minutes,’ the chief said during a news briefing near the shooting scene.
‘They reconvened a few feet away from where the initial fight started. The two fighters put up their hands like they were about to fight each other … one of the people in the fight, a male from Oak Park, pulls out a gun and fires at least twice. Two people were struck.’
It is currently unclear if the victims knew each other but Chief White said the Detroit Police Department are still investigating.
The three men were ‘most likely’ attending the postgame tailgate party after the Lions lost 20-16 to the Buccaneers at nearby Ford Field.
Officers were already on hand at the scene due to the large gatherings at the tailgate and heard the gunshots before swiftly responding.
‘Tailgating, drinking, guns, they don’t mix,’ White said. ‘It’s a beautiful day. It shouldn’t have led to this.’
‘It’s ridiculous. If you’re going to fight, have a fight. Fight to live another day, right?’ White added.
‘But everybody has to have a gun, makes them feel tough, and unfortunately two people [were shot], one is dead and you have a suspect in custody who is going to be dealing with some very serious charges.’
A dispute led to gunplay that left a man in his 40s dead, a second man in his 20s hospitalized
The horrific incident is said to have occurred at a tailgate near the Lions’ Ford Field stadium
White said the suspect is likely facing murder charges but couldn’t confirm as the investigation continues.
The NFL has been shrouded by the epidemic of fan violence that has swept through the league throughout the past few seasons.
Fan violence spiraled out of control at NFL games across the stadium last year and continued during the opening week of the season last Sunday when a woman was body slammed and a man left bloodied and unconscious outside SoFi Stadium ahead of the game between the Los Angeles Charges and Las Vegas Raiders.
Patriots fan Dale Mooney, 53, collapsed and died after being beaten by a Dolphins fan at the Gillette Stadium last September.
Disturbing footage obtained by NBC10 showed the father-of-two and long-time Patriots ticket holder, who was donning Jones’ No 10 jersey, being swung at by a Dolphins fan.
The punch connected, with eyewitnesses saying Mooney fell to the ground moments later during the huge brawl. He was then rushed to a nearby hospital before being pronounced dead.
However, an autopsy concluded Mooney was not directly killed by the Dolphins fans’ punch and may have succumbed to an undisclosed ‘medical issue ‘.
Norfolk County District’s attorney’s office said the autopsy did identify an medical issue that may have contributed to his death.
The NFL has been shrouded by the epidemic of fan violence that has swept through the league
DA Michael Morrissey confirmed that the issue was a potential contributor to his death, but that the case would require further testing.
The Giants, the 49ers, the Bengals, the Commanders, the Rams, the Broncos, the Ravens and the Seahawks all also saw nasty scenes – in the stands or around the stadium – go viral last year.
A 2023 survey found nearly 40 per cent of NFL fans have witnessed criminality at or around an NFL stadium; around one in 14 has been a victim themselves. Nowhere have fans seen more disorder (63 per cent) than at Lincoln Financial Field – home of the Philadelphia Eagles. The most common crime witnessed? Physical violence.
Less than two per cent of Colts fans, meanwhile, said they feel comfortable letting their children go to Lucas Oil Stadium unaccompanied. Across all 32 teams, that number was 77 per cent.
Nearly three quarters of female Lions fans (74 per cent) admitted they would not feel comfortable alone around Ford Field; throughout the league, it was 45 per cent. And yet, perhaps the most striking feature of this flurry of violence is the number of women dishing out the violence.
More to follow.
