Gunfire Near Stadium Cancels High School Football Game
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Friday night lights are dim this weekend after a shooting near Hales Franciscan High School on Chicago's South Side.
Players from both teams hit the ground to avoid the gunfire as fans ran from the stadium.
CBS 2's Audrina Bigos talked to parents and school administrators about what comes next.
Friday night lights turned to blue police lights.
Phil Smith was supposed to be a ref and watch his son Arik play his first high school football game.
"As I drove down the street and saw the police, multitude of ambulances and firetrucks, my first thought was something bad has happened," said Smith.
And it did. Just outside Hales Franciscan's grounds on Chicago's South Side, three people were shot including two teens near 50th and Cottage Grove.
Witnesses at the game said they heard at least 20-30 shots just before 7:00 Friday night. Players, cheerleaders and fans cleared the football field and stands.
Two visiting teams were set to play: Hansberry College Prep and Metro East Lutheran High who traveled hours to get to the game.
"People should not be afraid to come here," said Smith. "But now the message goes out that other teams are afraid to come to Chicago. And we shouldn't have that. When it gets to the point where we can't enjoy sports as a kid because of the violence, it really shatters their mindset. It's a sad day in Chicago."
The game was cancelled but no one at the game was hurt. Hansberry College Prep sent the fan bus home right away. Players had to wait inside the school until police cleared the area.
School administrators did not want to talk on camera but said six to eight CPS security guards were at the game. CPS did not return messages for comment.
