A women's field hockey game between Saint Louis and La Salle at Temple University was abruptly halted on Friday due to a nearby shooting, prompting La Salle to issue a strong statement condemning gun violence.
A women's field hockey game between Saint Louis and La Salle at Temple University was abruptly halted on Friday due to a nearby shooting. The incident occurred with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game, sending players and spectators scrambling for cover.
La Salle, which is playing its home games at Temple University this season, released a statement following the incident, condemning the "senseless gun violence" that has become a pervasive issue in society.
Senseless Gun Violence Interrupts Women's Field Hockey Game, La Salle Speaks Out
"With 10:45 remaining in the game, gunshots rang out across the block, leading to just about everyone at the complex being forced to take cover," the team said in its statement. "Bullets began entering the complex, putting players in serious danger."
The statement went on to describe the harrowing scene as players and fans ran for their lives, hearing bullets whizzing overhead and striking the turf.
Senseless Gun Violence Interrupts Women's Field Hockey Game, La Salle Speaks Out
"Everyone on the field was exposed, forced to run for their lives as they heard bullets whizzing overhead, and witness shots crossing the field, some striking the turf," the team wrote. "Fans supporting the Explorers and Billikens had to take cover as bullets hit the bleachers where they had been seated."
La Salle's statement emphasized the severity and urgency of addressing gun violence, calling on the public to understand the devastating impact it has on communities.
Senseless Gun Violence Interrupts Women's Field Hockey Game, La Salle Speaks Out
"This is not normal. We cannot accept this as our reality," the team wrote. "We are committed to sharing our story - the real story. The public must understand the severity of this ongoing issue, and we cannot achieve that if experiences like ours continue to be deflected."
The team expressed its gratitude that no one was injured in the incident but stressed that it should not take a tragedy for change to occur.
"We raise our voices to advocate for change, and we will not let this incident stop us from playing the game we love," the team said. "We are grateful that nobody was hurt, but it should not take a tragedy for change to occur."
The shooting occurred at a Kentucky Fried Chicken parking lot near the Temple University complex. Police have not yet made any arrests or recovered a weapon.
Saint Louis and La Salle have both resumed play since the incident. La Salle was credited with a 1-0 win over Saint Louis, while Saint Louis lost 5-1 to UMass.
