What was supposed to be a night of celebration in Birmingham ended in gunfire. One person was killed and eight others were wounded in the Magic City Classic shooting that erupted just outside Legion Field on Saturday night, moments after the 85th annual Magic City Classic — the largest historically Black college football game in the United States — came to a close.
The gunfire broke out shortly after 7:50 p.m. in the 400 block of Graymont Avenue West, behind the south endzone stands of Legion Field, according to Birmingham police. Most of the tens of thousands of fans had already begun streaming out of the stadium after watching Alabama A&M edge Alabama State 31-28 in the annual rivalry game that draws more than 100,000 people to Birmingham each fall.
By Sunday morning, the casualty count was grim and consistent across every outlet covering the story: nine gunshot victims in all. The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office confirmed one death. Of the eight wounded, Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett said one person was in critical condition while the other seven were in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
WHAT POLICE ARE SAYING
One person was detained and taken to Birmingham Police Headquarters for questioning, police said, and multiple firearms were recovered at the scene and turned over to the department’s property room. But as of Sunday morning, police had announced no formal arrests and filed no charges. The identity of the person detained, the victim who died, and a motive for the shooting have all been kept under wraps while the investigation continues.
Birmingham police are working with the FBI and have asked anyone who was near Legion Field on Saturday night to submit video footage anonymously.
Chief Pickett, visibly shaken in his remarks, called the violence impossible to justify. “This was two senseless acts of violence. Completely senseless acts of violence,” he said, noting that most families had already left the stadium when the shots rang out near an area where vendors had set up. He praised officers who he said ran directly toward the gunfire and said he was grateful the toll wasn’t higher.
A MAYOR’S ANGER, A COMMUNITY’S PAIN
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin addressed the shooting as officers were still working the scene. “There is no argument, no beef, no misunderstanding that can justify this level of senseless violence during a night of celebration,” Woodfin said. “We refuse to let fear shake the spirit of this community. The Magic City Classic is rooted in HBCU tradition, and at the heart of those traditions is family.”
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell also weighed in, saying the community “deserves to celebrate our traditions in peace and safety” and that her team was in contact with local law enforcement.
Police moved quickly to lock down the area. All Magic City Classic tailgating was suspended, and everyone was ordered to leave Legion Field property immediately — a sudden, somber end to one of the biggest weekends on Birmingham’s calendar.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE MAGIC CITY CLASSIC SHOOTING
Saturday’s shooting was not the first time violence has shadowed the Classic weekend. In 2014, a person was shot in a parking lot near Graymont Avenue and Center Street during Classic festivities, though those injuries were not life-threatening. On Oct. 25, 2024, two separate shootings occurred near the stadium; police never established a link to the game itself.
That history is now part of the story again, and it will fuel the questions Birmingham faces in the days ahead: how gunfire reached the edge of the biggest HBCU celebration in the country, and what can be done before next year’s game.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW YET
For all the official statements, the basic questions remain unanswered. Police have not named the person killed. They have not named the person detained for questioning, and they have made a careful distinction: the person is detained, not formally charged — despite some early headlines suggesting a suspect was in custody. Fox News and local outlets have been explicit that no arrests had been announced as of their latest updates.
No motive has been offered. No timeline for charges has been given. The investigation, police say, is active and ongoing.
As Birmingham woke up Sunday, the facts were these: nine people shot, one life lost, and a city’s signature celebration ending under police tape after the Magic City Classic shooting. For the families who came for football and left hearing sirens, that will be the memory of the 85th Magic City Classic.
This is a developing story. Details will be updated as police release more information.