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According to police spokesman Bill Kaempffer, the shots were heard at 11:15 a.m. Thursday, causing some panic among the 1,200 fans in attendance at Harding’s Hedges Stadium. The football players retreated to their respective locker rooms, and the fans were evacuated from the stadium after the shots were heard nearby.
Police recovered five shell casings in the area, but found no victims, Kaempffer said. Bridgeport police checked with local hospitals for victims, but none were found, he said.
No arrests have been made in the shooting.
Harding had just taken a 14-6 lead with five minutes left to play in the fourth quarter when the game was suspended. The remainder of the game will be played at a future date, possibly Friday or Saturday.
Game officials waited 30 minutes before suspending the game, said Brett Broesder, spokesman for Mayor Bill Finch.
“The shots were not inside the stadium,” Broesder said. “About 1,200 fans were evacuated from Hedges Stadium as a safety precaution, and they will finish up the game. There is an active investigation ongoing, and the police are confident the shooters will be apprehended.”
Finch was in attendance at the football game with his sons, Broesder said.
“Mayor Finch's two older sons played football at Central," he said. "All four of his kids were with him at today's game, enjoying this great rivalry as they do every year.
"Unfortunately for the kids who were suited up and on the field, and for the more than 1,000 kids and families in attendance -- including Mayor Finch and his kids -- the game was stopped due to an unfortunate act of firearm use near the stadium. Thankfully, nobody was hurt.”
Central had been dominant in the rivalry in recent years, having won 15 years in a row.
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