A shooting at a well-known entertainment district in San Jose, California, left one person dead and another critically wounded on Sunday, police said. The venue has recently been used as a World Cup “fan zone,” drawing crowds to watch matches.
Authorities said no World Cup match was being shown when the gunfire erupted. The day’s only tournament game had ended at about 2 p.m. local time.
“One victim was pronounced deceased on scene. The second victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries,” San Jose police said in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
“This incident is being investigated as a homicide. Several surrounding streets are closed in the area,” police added.
The shooting happened at San Pedro Square, one of several Bay Area locations that have attracted large, energetic crowds for World Cup watch parties featuring matches on large outdoor screens.
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The Bay Area has staged five World Cup matches to date, including Wednesday’s most recent fixture, a knockout game between Bosnia and co-hosts the United States.
A Reuters journalist at the scene reported a significant police response, with several patrol vehicles in the area. The journalist also saw a person on a stretcher, partly covered by a white sheet, being moved away by uniformed personnel.
Police sealed off the area after the shooting, and most nearby bars shut their doors following the incident.
A security guard, who declined to be named because she was not authorized to speak to the media, said she saw the injured person in distress.
“The person was still moaning and groaning. There was blood around his neck and upper back,” she said. “Police were talking to security and a couple of witnesses.”
There are several dozen fan zones across the Bay Area.
