Detroit prosecutors have decided not to charge the man who shot and killed two people at the tailgate of the stadium after a Lions game because he acted in self-defense.
“It is absolutely tragic that during all the fun and revelry at the Lions tailgate, two lives were lost,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said.
The 40-year-old shooter, who was licensed to carry a concealed handgun, fired only after feeling threatened by Jalen Welch, 25, who displayed a gun during an argument at Eastern Market, an open-air market, Worthy said.
Welch was shot in the head Sunday. The same bullet struck and killed a 40-year-old bystander, Rayshawn Palmer, who was trying to make peace, Worthy said.
Police had initially said the shooter fired twice.
One person was killed in a shooting at an NFL pregame party in Detroit on Sunday.
“It could have been any one of us,” Worthy said. “We’ve 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 at nearby Ford Field, 20-16.
The shooter, a man in his 30s, was arrested by police after Police Chief James White revealed that two guns were recovered from the scene.
“We were here and we could hear the gunshots and we’re looking into whether they knew each other,” White said. “People got involved in something that happened here. Drinking, running around, having guns – they don’t mix well.”
“If you’re gonna fight, fight. Live to fight another day. Everyone should have a gun. It makes them feel strong.”
Initially, White said the suspect would likely face murder charges.
The NFL has been caught up in the epidemic of fan violence that has swept the league over the past few seasons.
Fan violence spiraled out of control at NFL games across the stadium last year and continued into the season’s opening week last Sunday, when a woman was beaten and a man was left bloodied and unconscious outside SoFi Stadium before the game between the Los Angeles Charges and Las Vegas Raiders.
The horrific incident is said to have occurred at a tailgate near the Lions’ Ford Field stadium.
Patriots fan Dale Mooney, 53, collapsed and died after being struck by a Dolphins fan at Gillette Stadium last September.
Disturbing footage obtained by NBC10 showed the father of two and former Patriots ticket holder, who was wearing Jones’ No. 10 jersey, being punched by a Dolphins fan.
The punch found its mark and, according to eyewitnesses, Mooney fell to the ground moments later during the huge fight. He was then rushed to a nearby hospital before being pronounced dead.
However, an autopsy concluded that Mooney did not die directly from the blow by Dolphins fans and may have succumbed to an undisclosed “medical issue.”
The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office said an autopsy identified a medical problem that may have contributed to her death.
The Giants, 49ers, Bengals, Commanders, Rams, Broncos, Ravens and Seahawks also saw ugly scenes, in the stands or around the stadium, go viral last year.
A 2023 survey found that nearly 40 percent of NFL fans have witnessed criminal acts in or around an NFL stadium; about one in 14 has been a victim. Nowhere else have fans seen more disorder (63 percent) than at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles. The most common crime witnessed? Physical violence.
Meanwhile, less than two percent of Colts fans said they are comfortable letting their children go to Lucas Oil Stadium alone. Among all 32 teams, that figure was 77 percent.
Nearly three-quarters of female Lions fans (74 percent) admitted they wouldn’t feel comfortable alone at Ford Field; leaguewide, that figure was 45 percent. And yet perhaps the most striking feature of this surge in violence is the number of women who are perpetrating the violence.
