The American Youth Football National Championships were interrupted by a shooting, which lead to a significant law enforcement response.
According to Gulf Coast News, the shooting happened in the parking lot of Paradise Sports Complex in Collier, Fla.
One person is in custody and another was taken to the hospital, and the condition of the victim remains unknown.
The shooting was reported Friday at 10:30 a.m. Collier County Sheriff's deputies reponsed and quickly took the suspect into custody.
CCSO deputies identified the victim as James Raynard, 43, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Raynard is a youth football coach.
Deputies remained on the scene to process evidence and interview witnesses.
Football games continued on Friday evening.
Alan Popadines, the national scouting director for Prep Redzone Next, has been attending the championships for four years to recruit young football players.
"I got a 7-year-old, a 5-year-old at home. They play sports, I love sports, it's my profession. And like, I think this is what it is like. Come on, man, we're down here for fun. We're down here for sports, are down here for life lessons, not down here for losing lives," Popadines said.
Popadines described security at the event as "10 times more than any other youth football event," noting that the Paradise Sports Complex was prepared for emergencies.
"I cannot stress enough, like, these people, if the complex itself, they could not have done more, there could not have been more security, like, every bag got screened, every people got wanded. If someone walked through who didn't have a wristband that wasn't supposed to be with the team, they were stopped at the gates and turned around or told to go to the main gate," Popadines said.
Popadines reported chaos after gunshots rang out as fans helped get kids off the field and to safety.
"I see a bunch of kids running or running into in from the parking lot, into the facility, you know, through security, then I see parents very quickly rushing up behind the kids, telling them to move or to get behind, and almost like throwing the tables at the security, I would even say as protection," Popadines said.
Popadines described the scene following the shooting, saying, "I saw countless police cars, ambulance, fire truck, police helicopter overhead. Today and tomorrow were some of the championship games for some of the age groups."
