Detroit prosecutors have decided not to file charges against the man who shot and killed two people at a tailgate event after a Lions game, saying he acted in self-defense.
“It is truly tragic that two lives were lost during the fun and festivities of the Lions,” said Wayne County District Attorney Kym Worthy.
The 40-year-old gunman, who had a permit to carry a handgun, only fired after feeling threatened by Jalen Welch, 25, who displayed a weapon during an argument at Eastern Market, an open-air market, Worthy said.
Welch was shot in the head Sunday, and the same bullet struck and killed a 40-year-old bystander, Rayshawn Palmer, who was trying to make peace, Worthy said.
Police initially reported that the shooter had fired twice.
One person was injured Sunday in a shooting at an NFL tailgate party in Detroit
“It could have been any one of us,” Worthy said. “We looked at all the applicable laws and there is no crime that can be charged and proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Tampa Bay had just defeated the Lions 20-16 at nearby Ford Field.
The shooter, a 30-year-old man, was arrested by police after Police Chief James White revealed that two weapons were found at the crime scene.
“We were here and we could hear the gunshots and we’re investigating to see if they knew each other,” White said. “People got involved in something that happened here. Drinking, tailgating, guns — they don’t mix.
“If you’re going to fight, fight. Live to fight another day. Everybody should have a gun. It makes them feel tough.”
Initially, White said the suspect would likely be charged with murder.
The NFL has been plagued by an epidemic of fan violence that has plagued the league for several seasons now.
Last year, fan violence at NFL games escalated to the ground level. It continued this past Sunday, in the opening week of the season, when a woman was beaten in the body and a man was left bloodied and unconscious outside SoFi Stadium before the Los Angeles Charges vs. Las Vegas Raiders game.
The horrific incident is said to have occurred at a tailgate near the Lions’ Ford Field stadium
Patriots fan Dale Mooney, 53, lost his balance and died after being assaulted by a Dolphins fan at Gillette Stadium last September.
Disturbing footage obtained by NBC10 showed the father of two and longtime Patriots ticket holder, who was wearing Jones’ number 10, being attacked by a Dolphins fan.
The blow was a hit, and witnesses said Mooney fell to the ground moments later during the massive brawl. He was then rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
However, an autopsy revealed that Mooney was not killed directly by the punch from the Dolphins fans, but may have died from an unknown “medical issue.”
According to the Norfolk County Prosecutor’s Office, the autopsy revealed a medical problem that may have contributed to his death.
Last year, nasty scenes also went viral at the Giants, 49ers, Bengals, Commanders, Rams, Broncos, Ravens and Seahawks, both in the stands and around the stadium.
A 2023 survey found that nearly 40 percent of NFL fans have witnessed crime in or around an NFL stadium; about one in 14 have been a victim themselves. Nowhere have fans witnessed more disorder (63 percent) than at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles. What’s the most common crime? Physical assault.
Meanwhile, fewer than 2 percent of Colts fans said they would be comfortable sending their children to Lucas Oil Stadium unaccompanied, compared with 77 percent across all 32 teams.
Nearly three-quarters of female Lions fans (74 percent) admitted they would feel uncomfortable standing alone around Ford Field, compared with 45 percent leaguewide. And yet perhaps the most striking feature of this wave of violence is the number of women who are being violent.