Shooting Outside Nationals Park Causes Chaos as Players and Fans Run For Safety
There was a shooting outside Nationals Park on Saturday night during the San Diego Padres-Washington Nationals game. Multiple gunshots were heard on the third-base side of the stadium during the bottom of the sixth. You could hear something as the Nationals broadcast went to commercial.
On the Nationals broadcast as they went to break you can hear loud popping noises (gunshots?) & you can see players looking towards the stands #Padres pic.twitter.com/RcBZJh9YMG
— Jim Russell (@JimRussellSD) July 18, 2021
Fans took cover or ran for the exits as teams headed for the clubhouse. Fernando Tatis Jr. and other players ran into the stands to grab family. The PA announcer told fans that the incident took place outside the stadium, but the mass exodus had already begun.
Breaking: At least two people are confirmed to have been shot outside the Nationals stadium tonight, per DC Metro Police. One woman who was shot was briefly treated by first responders in the stadium.
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) July 18, 2021
terrifying pic.twitter.com/M4kdWEXWn5
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) July 18, 2021
Players, including Fernando Tatis Jr. Just ran into stands and grabbed family members and brought them to clubhouse. pic.twitter.com/DlC1bSv3I7
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) July 18, 2021
Tatis literally just carried 2 people into the dugout. Not kidding
— Kirk Wood ? (@kirkwood24) July 18, 2021
Scene inside Nats Park: pic.twitter.com/O4jEh7mLqw
— Ted Starkey (@TedStarkey) July 18, 2021
Hope everyone is safe at Nationals park. I heard a few loud bangs and then a mass exodus. View from my roof pic.twitter.com/MA1B7z83u2
— Jalen Drummond (@jalen_drummond) July 18, 2021
Terrifying scenes all around as everyone immediately assumed there was a mass shooting. Fans were told to leave the stadium. The game will likely be suspended.
Fans at Nationals Park being told to exit the stadium. pic.twitter.com/Xy3Sphl7oM
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) July 18, 2021
Police are asking people to find shelter.
A shooting has been reported outside of the Third Base Gate at Nationals Park.
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 18, 2021
Fans are encouraged to exit the ballpark via the CF and RF gates at this time.
We're working with law enforcement to provide more information as soon as it becomes available.
Just got off the phone with the DC Metropolitan Police Department and they're not giving any information outside of the fact that this situation is still active and to find shelter. #Nationals #Padres
— Julian Del Gaudio (@JulianDelGaudio) July 18, 2021
MASN, the television home of the Nationals, has not updated viewers, calling it a rain delay.
Meanwhile MASN hasn’t said a word in about 10 minutes, is calling this a “rain delay” and squeezed in a long ad for Bush’s Beans pic.twitter.com/Kp3bRFrCOP
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) July 18, 2021