November 1, 2026
By Stephen Iwuh | Dalena Reporters
One person was killed and eight others were injured in a shooting near Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday night shortly after the annual Magic City Classic football rivalry game between Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University.
Birmingham police said officers responded shortly after 7:50 p.m. to the 400 block of Graymont Avenue West, near the stadium, after multiple gunshots were reported. Officers found several people suffering from gunshot wounds.
Police said nine people were struck by gunfire. One victim was pronounced dead, another was in critical condition, while seven others were reported to be in stable condition. Authorities had not publicly identified the victims as of Sunday.
Birmingham Police spokesperson De’Rell Freeman said one person had been detained and transported to police headquarters for questioning. Officers also recovered multiple firearms at the scene, although police had not announced an arrest or formally identified the detained individual as a suspect.
The shooting happened shortly after the conclusion of the Magic City Classic, one of the biggest annual events involving historically Black colleges and universities in the United States. The game between Alabama A&M and Alabama State attracted nearly 70,000 spectators, with Alabama A&M winning the contest 31–28.
Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett said most spectators and families had already left the stadium grounds when the shooting occurred in an area nearby where vendors had set up along Graymont Avenue. He expressed relief that the number of casualties was not higher given the size of the crowd.
“This is a senseless act of violence,” Pickett said, while praising police officers who moved toward the gunfire and helped respond to the victims.
Authorities temporarily suspended Magic City Classic tailgating activities and instructed people to leave the Legion Field area while officers secured the scene. Police later appealed to members of the public who witnessed the shooting or recorded video to provide information that could assist investigators.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin condemned the shooting, saying the community was “hurt, shaken and rightfully angry” after violence disrupted an event that is deeply connected to the city's HBCU culture and traditions. He called for the community to stand together as investigators work to determine what happened.
The Magic City Classic has been played for more than a century and is a major cultural event for Birmingham. The rivalry between Alabama A&M and Alabama State attracts alumni, students, families and football supporters from across Alabama and beyond.
Saturday's game was the 85th meeting between the two schools. Alabama A&M's 31–28 victory marked its first win over Alabama State in the rivalry since 2021.
The Birmingham shooting came only one week after another mass shooting near a historically Black university's football celebration. On October 24, 11 people were shot after a fight following Florida A&M University's homecoming game in Tallahassee, Florida. Six of those victims were still hospitalized several days later, according to reports.
The violence has renewed concerns about gun violence surrounding large college sporting and homecoming events, particularly when thousands of people gather in surrounding streets after games.
Police have not yet established publicly what led to Saturday night's shooting, whether the gunfire was connected to an altercation, or whether the incident was targeted. The investigation remains active.
Authorities are asking anyone with video footage or information about the shooting to contact Birmingham police or Crime Stoppers. Investigators are expected to examine surveillance footage, witness accounts and the firearms recovered at the scene as they work to identify everyone involved.
As Birmingham mourns the person killed and waits for updates on the injured victims, the shooting has cast a shadow over what was supposed to be a major celebration of HBCU football and one of the city's most important annual traditions.