It was “right about the third inning,” according to Chicago police, when “nine rounds” were fired outside Guaranteed Rate Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox. Some rounds apparently made it through one of several openings behind the field and injured two spectators.
Two women sitting in the left field bleachers reported being shot. One of the women refused medical treatment but the other one was shot in the leg and taken to a nearby hospital.
According to the police ShotSpotter, the bullets came from a housing complex about 3/4 of a mile from the field.
#ChicagoScanner #Chicago #Shotspotter with 9 rounds at 7:22PM Friday
300 W 42nd St
right about the 3rd inning, 3/4 mile (3920 feet) straight south from #GuaranteedRateField #WhiteSox game
Coincidence? @CWBChicago https://t.co/N2ILcMs0ax pic.twitter.com/i6hhnPgiVc
— WindyCity Weather and News (@WindyCityWxMan) August 26, 2023
There was supposed to be a Vanilla Ice concert on the field after the game, but the White Sox canceled it. The explanation? “Technical issues.”
CHICAGO 🚨 There was a shooting at the Chicago White Sox game at Guaranteed Rate Field. Three people were hit by gunfire during the game, leading to the evacuation of everyone present at the scene. Blood has been reported in the stands. (Raws Alerts) pic.twitter.com/wgafyY8wcQ
— Truthseeker 🇺🇲🇺🇲🎵🇺🇲🎵🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲 (@alaskafrau) August 26, 2023
As for the game, the two teams never missed a beat. The contest continued, resulting in another horrible White Sox loss.
This parody video would only work in Chicago.
The security at Guaranteed Rate Field #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/zOxhZDgaMo
— Flozek (@flozek) August 26, 2023
Chicago police immediately responded and coordinated with White Sox security. The department says that there was never an “active threat,” but did not provide further details on a potential motive or suspect.
According to the White Sox, the “incident did not involve an altercation of any kind,” with security footage within the ballpark not indicating any disturbance that preceded the shooting.
The club also says it remains unclear whether the shots were fired from inside or outside the ballpark.
“The White Sox are thinking of the victims at this time, and wishing them a speedy recovery,” the team said in a statement.
If the organization was “thinking of the victims,” why did the game go on as if nothing happened?
“It happened just two rows in front me, and there was no one in front of us. All of a sudden this lady just starts bleeding from the leg,” Tom Miller, who attended the game said. “There were at least two of ’em in a row that got hit, may be a third, but I know two for sure. And all of a sudden security was there and they kicked us out.”
A spectator, Greg Mika, said he was seated in the left centerfield stands about four rows behind a young woman who received medical treatment to her leg below the knee and watched her walk away while speaking with medics.
The incident had occurred by the game’s third inning, he said, but fans were not asked to leave. He said authorities did clear out several rows in front of and behind the area where the woman had been seated.
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The “official” attendance at the game was about 21,000 — that’s the number of “tickets sold,” not tickets used. There appeared to be about 12,000 people in the stands.
It would have been a sticky situation if there had been a full house.
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