Investigators were searching for a gunman who killed three people _ including two former Auburn University football players _ and wounded three others at a pool party near campus after several men began punching each other in a fight over a woman, authorities and witnesses said Sunday.
(AP-Yonhap News)
One of the wounded was shot in the head and critically hurt. Another was a current player, Eric Mack.
Desmonte Leonard opened fire at the party at an apartment complex near the university, Auburn Police Chief Tommy Dawson said. Federal marshals and police were searching for Leonard, who faces three counts of capital murder.
Slain were Edward Christian, who had not been playing because of a back injury, and Ladarious Phillips, who had previously quit playing football. The other person killed was 20-year-old Demario Pitts.
Officials also said Xavier Moss and John Robertson were wounded. Robertson had been shot in the head and was in critical condition; Moss was released from the hospital.
“The only connection that the Auburn football team has to this is they are victims of a brutal shooting. Sometimes the young men get a bad rap, I feel like, but they are the victims today,” Dawson said.
Police say Leonard has been charged with capital murder. Dawson urged Leonard to turn himself in and also said authorities were searching for two other persons of interest.
Dawson stressed that the football team was connected to the shooting only because current and former players were victims. He said he did not know why the party was being held, or what sparked the fight.
Turquorius Vines, 23, said he was at the pool party Saturday evening at the University Heights apartments with one of his friend, Pitts. He said he and his friend were approached by two other men who started arguing with them over a woman.
<관련 한글 기사>
대학생들, 여자 때문에 난투 끝에 사망!
미국 앨라배마주 오번대 인근 아파트 수영장에서 9일 밤(현지시간) 총기를 동원한 난투극이 벌어져 5명이 죽거나 크게 다쳤다.
WTVM 방송 등 현지 언론은 10일 오번대 미식축구팀 선수 3명이 사망한 것으로 확인됐다고 보도했다.
난투극에 가담한 한 터쿼리어스 바인스(23) 씨는 "파티 참석자들이 전혀 안면이 없는 남자 2명과 한 여자를 두고 몸싸움을 벌이다 낯선 일행 중 한 명이 친구가 휘두른 병에 머리를 맞자 총질을 했다"고 전했다.
사망자 3명 중 2명은 올해 부상으로 선수생활을 접은 것으로 알려졌다.
총기사고가 발생한 오번대는 1856년 설립된 주립대학으로 `타이거즈'란 애칭을 가진 미식축구팀과 애플 CEO인 팀 쿡의 모교로 유명하다.
전형적인 대학도시인 오번은 교육환경이 좋고 현대차 앨라배마 공장에서 자동차로 약 1시간 가량 떨어진 곳에 있어 현대차 협력업체 가족과 한인 대학생 등 약 1천 명의 한인이 거주하고 있다.
이번 사건으로 인한 한인 피해는 보고되지 않았다.
