Man fatally shot at youth football game in Eden Park, Delaware
Delaware police are investigating after a man was fatally shot during a little league football game at Eden Park in Delaware.
Police said the incident happened around 3:15 p.m. in the 900 block of New Castle Avenue.
According to a joint statement from the teams, a shooter approached a man on the sidelines and opened fire.
A 36-year-old man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. His name has not yet been released.
Referee Walt Boone, who was officiating the 10-and-under game, said he’s exhausted by the toll of gun violence.
“People were running, screaming, looking for their children, trying to jump in their cars,” Boone said.
The violence erupted during halftime of the matchup between the New Castle Jaguars and the Upland Hurricanes. Boone said at first it sounded like fireworks, until panic swept the sidelines.
“Pop, pop, pop, and then I heard people yelling, ‘Oh my God, he shot him!'” Boone recalled. “I looked over and saw a man lying on the ground. I never saw who did it.”
The game ended immediately as families scrambled for safety. Boone said he heard about five shots before chaos overtook the field.
Boone said hundreds of parents and children were at Eden Park when the shots rang out. He says what should have been a day of sportsmanship will instead leave families reeling.
“Instead of having practice [Monday], parents now have to sit down and talk to their children about this,” Boone said. “It just shouldn’t be like that.”
Police said incident remains under investigation and further details will be released when possible.
Anyone with information about the shooting is encouraged to contact Detective Kevin Nolan at (302) 576-3962. You can also provide information to Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or delawarecrimestoppers.com.
The Wilmington Police Department Victim Services Unit is available to provide support, information and referrals to those who are victims of crime, and can be reached at (302) 576-3622. Additionally, the WPD Youth Response Unit is available to provide free counseling and services to children and their families who have been exposed to potentially traumatizing events, and can be reached at (302) 576-3183.
Information from this article was sourced from 6abc Philadelphia
