The shots that injured two people at the Chicago White Sox game on Friday night likely took place inside the ballpark, police officials say – The Denver Post

A shooting that injured two people at a Chicago White Sox game over the weekend most likely involved a firearm that exploded inside the guaranteed rate field, the acting commissioner of the city said Monday. Chicago police.

Two women were shot and injured while sitting in the left field bleachers at Garanti Rate Field during Friday night’s game between the White Sox and Oakland A’s. So far, authorities haven’t said much about where the bullets came from or whether someone brought a firearm into the stadium, but Acting Superintendent Fred Waller said Monday. that investigators had almost ruled out the possibility that the shots came from outside the stadium.

“We’re clearing up a lot of things,” Waller said during a brief press briefing after a CPD graduation and promotion ceremony at Navy Pier. “(A shot) coming from outside is something that we have almost completely dispelled. We are still investigating all avenues. The case is still ongoing. Something from within, it could have happened that way. We’re looking at every lead, exploring every lead and whatever we can get.

Waller added that the CPD initially called for play to be halted after the shooting was discovered.

“At one point it was requested as a precaution, but we had no information on an active shooter, no thrust, as I said, of a weapon, so we didn’t have all the information,” Waller said. “We made this request initially because we didn’t know what was going on. We have had reports of people being shot at Sox Park, but this has not been confirmed and so we have allowed the game to continue (and) not create panic.

Mayor Brandon Johnson said he was made aware of the shooting shortly after it took place on Friday, but he declined to say if he was part of the decision to allow the game to continue or if , in hindsight, it was the right choice.

“Obviously this is an ongoing investigation and the Chicago Police Department has done an outstanding job of gathering all of the evidence and as more information becomes available this information will be flagged,” he said. Johnson said.

The two women, ages 26 and 42, were recovering from the incident at Armor Square baseball stadium during the fourth inning. Officials described a delay in the police response on Saturday as the incident initially appeared to be a fan who needed first aid for an undetermined injury.

The game was not interrupted despite the incident occurring just yards from the White Sox outfield and bullpen. Members of the stadium team had already begun installing crowd control barriers on the pitch, intended to keep fans in place during the post-match concert, when the announcement of the concert’s cancellation broke. appeared on the bulletin board.

Team officials did not specifically comment on the decision to continue play even after police officials requested that the game be suspended for security reasons.

Sox senior vice president of communications Scott Reifert said over the weekend that over the following innings, CPD and White Sox security personnel worked together and decided to allow the game to go ahead. without interruption.

Representatives for the White Sox declined to comment on Waller’s statement Monday regarding the possible origin of the shot(s).

Although the guaranteed rate field is state-owned, stadium security is provided by At Your Service, LLC, a private company that provides security for White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks home games. Records from the Illinois Secretary of State’s office show the company was founded in 1994 and the registered agent is listed as William Waters, White Sox vice president of finance.

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