2 Dead, 14 Wounded After Football Rivalry Turns into Deadly Shootout

What began as a festive night celebrating college football turned into a nightmare of gunfire and panic when a brawl erupted into a mass shooting in the heart of the city’s entertainment district late Saturday.

Authorities confirm two people were killed and 14 others wounded, including two children, after shots rang out just after 11:30 p.m. — moments after the Tuskegee University vs. Morehouse College game had ended.

“It was like a war zone,” said one witness, Marcus Hill, who had been selling drinks near Commerce Street when bullets started flying. “People were screaming, running — you couldn’t tell who was shooting or where it was coming from.”

Montgomery Police Chief James Graboys said the gunfire erupted between two rival groups during an argument that spiraled out of control near Bibb Street.

“This was two parties shooting at each other in the middle of a crowd,” Graboys told local media. “They didn’t care who got hit. They just opened fire.”

Among the victims was a woman who died at the scene. Police said three of the injured remain in critical condition, while nine others suffered non-life-threatening wounds.

Lt. Tina McGriff of the Montgomery Police Department added that officers were already patrolling “within 50 feet of both sides” of the scene when chaos broke out. “It happened fast — seconds after the argument started,” she said.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed expressed outrage and sorrow in a statement Sunday morning.

“We’re praying for the victims of this atrocity — their families, their friends, and for our city,” Reed said. “Thousands came downtown for a joyful event, and it only took one or two reckless individuals to change everything.”

Police are now pleading for witnesses to come forward. “Even the smallest detail could be critical,” McGriff urged. “Someone out there knows who pulled the trigger.”

Downtown Montgomery had been buzzing with visitors and students for the annual rivalry game between Tuskegee and Morehouse, two historically Black universities with deep cultural and athletic traditions. Ferris wheels, food trucks, and live music had transformed the area into a festival atmosphere.

By midnight, that scene had turned grim — liquor bottles, shoes, and overturned tables littered the street as flashing blue lights painted the night.

“It’s heartbreaking,” said local business owner Dana Collier, who runs a café nearby. “We finally had families coming back downtown again, and now this.”

Montgomery, a city rich in civil rights history, has faced growing concerns over public safety in recent years. According to CrimeGrade.com, the city ranks in the top 10 percent nationwide for violent crime rates.

In her State of the State address earlier this year, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey vowed to strengthen the Metro Area Crime Suppression Unit, a joint task force that includes local police, the sheriff’s office, the ATF, and the state attorney general’s office.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville suggested in August that the National Guard be deployed to Montgomery and Birmingham to curb rising violence — an idea Mayor Reed flatly rejected.

“Montgomery is not a battlefield,” Reed said during a June press conference. “It is a city of families, faith, and future. We need partnership and prevention, not political soundbites.”

No arrests have been made as of Sunday morning. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses in hopes of identifying the shooters.

Authorities have urged anyone with information to contact the Montgomery Police Department or CrimeStoppers immediately.

“This wasn’t random,” Chief Graboys said. “This was personal — and we’re going to find out who did it.”