MARTINSBURG, W.Va –
At last night’s Martinsburg Football game, a few fans got a lot more than they were expecting. Shots were fired outside the stadium on the corner of Raleigh and Berry. 2 stray bullets hit one fan inside the stadium and other fans were hit by bullet fragments. Neither had life threatening condition but were taken to the hospital for medical attention.
Police Chief Erin Gibbons quickly released a statement, “At approximately 6:57 p.m., officers responded to reports of shots fired in the area. Witnesses reported seeing individuals fleeing the
scene, prompting an immediate and coordinated response from MPD officers. One possible suspect has been located. However, we believe this is only a partial account of
the incident, and our investigation is ongoing. With the support of the ATF, an additional K-9 unit, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, and task force, we are continuing
efforts to locate at least one suspect who remains at large.
This unfortunate event impacted the nearby football game, where bullets traveled toward the stands, located approximately 100 to 150 yards from the scene. One victim in
the stands was struck, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. Additionally, at least two others were injured by what is believed to be shrapnel. Thankfully, their injuries were
superficial.
At this time, we have no reason to believe the shooting was related to or targeted the football game; however, this remains an active investigation. Initially, there was
consideration to shut down the game, but after further assessment, it was determined that it would be safer to keep attendees inside the secured area until we could properly
investigate and secure the perimeter.
As always, the safety of our community remains our top priority, and we encourage anyone with additional information to contact the Martinsburg Police Department at
304-264-2100.”
