Video released over the weekend showed the moment what appeared to be a shootout during a White Sox game at Guaranteed Rate Field. However, the footage raised questions from fans as details of exactly what happened remain unclear.
The scene began around 7:20 p.m. Friday, with two women injured by bullets. The White Sox later canceled a concert after the game, citing “technical difficulties.”
Here’s a look at what we know so far:
What happened?
According to police, the shooting happened during the White Sox Athletics game at Guaranteed Rate Field.
There, a 42-year-old woman was shot in the leg and a 26-year-old woman suffered an abrasion on her abdomen.
Police said only one of the women was taken to hospital in good condition, while the other, the woman with an abrasion on her abdomen, refused medical treatment.
Area One investigators are investigating.
The post-game concert was ultimately canceled to allow police to investigate, White Sox officials confirmed.
“Upon receiving notification of this incident, the CPD responded immediately and deployed additional resources while coordinating with White Sox security to ensure the safety of those who were present or working at the game,” police said in a Explanation.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the CID at (312) 747-8380 or to submit an anonymous tip via CPDTIP.com.
What does the video show?
In a video released by the White Sox, a group of fans can be seen gathering around each other in the stands. Then a woman appears to be waving for help.
Meanwhile, several fans remain seated around the crime scene, seemingly unaware of the commotion surrounding them.
How did the shooting happen?
The Chicago Police Department released a statement that said, among other things, “It was never believed that there was an active threat.”
While the incident remains under investigation by the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago White Sox, it remains unclear exactly what happened.
“As far as I know, there was no clear indication of where the shot actually came from. And it’s still being investigated,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said during a news conference Monday.
Still, Chicago’s Interim Police is supt. Fred Waller said some theories are being disproved.
“We scatter a lot of things. What comes from the outside is something we’ve almost completely dispelled, but we’re still exploring all possibilities. It’s still under investigation. Something from within, it could have happened like this, But we check every path, explore every lead and everything we get. We explore.”
Weapons expert and president of Safer USA Consulting Group David Lombardo said Saturday it was possible for bullets to travel long distances.
“For example, a 9mm bullet fired from a handgun can go a mile,” Lombardo said.
What does the team say?
White Sox officials told NBC Chicago that they weren’t sure where the bullets that struck two women at the game came from.
“At that point, we didn’t have a shot,” White Sox vice president of communications Scott Reifert said during a pre-game interview Saturday.
White Sox communications vice-president Scott Reifert answered questions from the media about a fan mysteriously hit by a bullet with no reports of a gunshot Friday
In a statement from the team, the Sox said the incident “did not involve an altercation of any kind.”
“The ballpark video of the incident shows no activity prior to the injuries,” the team said.
“The White Sox are thinking of the victims at this time and wishing them a speedy recovery,” the statement continued.
As for the reasons the game was allowed to continue despite the shooting, police said the decision was largely because “at first no one knew anyone was being shot.”
“We had no clue. Nobody flared up. No flare of a gun. None of that. So we didn’t know she was shot until the paramedics gave us the information that she was shot,” Waller said.
“We had reports of people being shot at Sox Park but that has not been confirmed. So we let the game go on so as not to cause panic,” he added.
The White Sox said the CPD has “complete authority” to determine “if anything threatens the public safety.”
What did witnesses report?
“People were going in and out of the area like nothing happened,” said Jennifer Yolich, who was a few rows away from the incident. She told NBC 5 reporter Courtney Sisk her friend found a bullet in her sweatshirt.
“It was stuck in the back of her hoodie, how can that happen?” It just flew,” she said.
The strangest thing for Yolich was his ignorance of the incident.
“If someone gets shot, you should probably evacuate, right? Nothing was done,” Yolich said. “The fans didn’t know what happened, the staff didn’t know what happened, I’m sure the players didn’t know what happened. It kind of endangers everyone.”