New York: Two people were killed and 12 others injured when rival gunmen opened fire on each other in a crowded downtown area of Montgomery, the capital of Alabama, local media reported.
Montgomery Police Chief James Graboys said three of the injured were in critical condition. Officers were called to the scene around 11:30 p.m. local time in what Graboys described as a “mass shooting,” according to CBS News.
“This involved two groups shooting at each other in the middle of a crowd,” Graboys told reporters, adding that the shooters showed no concern for bystanders, Xinhua reported.
He said investigators were reviewing evidence and questioning potential suspects. “We will do whatever is necessary to charge and hold those responsible,” Graboys said, noting that no arrests had been made as of early Sunday.
Seven of the gunshot victims were under 17, with the youngest being 16 years old.
The shooting occurred on a busy night in Montgomery’s tourist district, shortly after a football game between Tuskegee University and Morehouse College, CBS News reported.
Police said the gunfire broke out as a group gathered at an intersection. According to WSFA 12 News, two juveniles were among the injured, one of them critically. Authorities have not released the identities of the deceased, but police confirmed that one victim was a woman.
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed condemned the violence, vowing: “We’re going to use every resource we have to bring all those involved to justice.”
