One individual has died and another is in critical condition following a shooting at a bustling World Cup “fan zone” in California. The incident took place at San Pedro Square in the San Francisco Bay Area, where large crowds had gathered for football watch parties.
Despite no World Cup matches being shown during the shooting, the day’s sole game in the tournament had concluded around 2pm local time on Sunday. San Jose police confirmed the fatality of one victim at the scene, while the second victim was rushed to a local hospital with severe injuries.
Law enforcement is treating the case as a homicide and has closed off several nearby streets for investigation. The Bay Area has already hosted five World Cup matches, with the most recent being a knockout game between Bosnia and the United States.
Following the shooting, there was heightened police presence in the area, with multiple police vehicles and emergency personnel seen attending to the injured. The scene was cordoned off, and many establishments in the vicinity shut down in response to the incident.
A security guard, who chose to remain anonymous, recounted witnessing the injured individual in distress, noting visible blood and police engaging with witnesses. The situation remains under investigation, and authorities are actively working to gather more information.