SAN JOSE, California, June 28 (Reuters) – A tragic shooting incident at a popular entertainment venue in San Jose, California, on Sunday led to one fatality and left another person seriously injured. The location has been serving as a World Cup “fan zone” for screening matches, according to the police.
At the time of the shooting, there were no World Cup matches being shown. The day’s only match had concluded around 2 p.m. local time (2100 GMT).
San Jose police reported on social media platform X that “one victim was pronounced deceased on scene. The second victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.” They added that the incident is being treated as a homicide investigation, and several streets in the vicinity have been closed.
The shooting took place at San Pedro Square, a popular spot in the San Francisco Bay Area known for hosting lively “watch parties” with large screens displaying World Cup matches.
The Bay Area has so far hosted five World Cup matches, with the latest being a knockout game on Wednesday between Bosnia and the United States, the co-hosts.
A Reuters journalist on the scene observed a significant police presence, numerous police vehicles, and a person on a stretcher partially covered by a white sheet being hurriedly taken away by uniformed personnel.
Following the incident, the area was secured, and most bars in the vicinity were closed.
A security guard, who wished to remain anonymous due to not being authorized to speak to the media, described the injured individual as being in clear distress.
“The person was still moaning and groaning. There was blood around his neck and upper back,” she recounted. “Police were talking to security and a couple of witnesses.”
There are numerous fan zones across the Bay Area.
