BIRMINGHAM, ALA. — A shooting outside Legion Field left one person dead and eight others wounded Saturday night, hours after the annual Magic City Classic football game between Alabama State and Alabama A&M wrapped up in front of a crowd of nearly 70,000, police said.

The gunfire broke out near vendor stalls along Graymont Avenue, just outside the stadium's gates, according to NBC News. Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett said most spectators and families had already left the stadium grounds by the time shots rang out, which he credited with keeping the toll from climbing higher.

"I'm very grateful that more people weren't injured," Pickett said, according to police.

POLICE SAY MULTIPLE WEAPONS WERE RECOVERED AT THE SCENE AND ONE PERSON WAS TAKEN IN FOR QUESTIONING

Police spokesperson De'Rell Freeman said one person was detained and taken to police headquarters for questioning, and that officers recovered and secured multiple weapons at the scene. Investigators have not released the names or ages of the victims, and the circumstances that led to the shooting remained unclear as of Sunday morning, NBC's reporting and CBS News both confirmed the toll of one killed and eight wounded.

A Century-Old Rivalry

On the field, the outcome was far less fraught: Alabama A&M held off Alabama State 31-28 in the latest edition of the Magic City Classic, a rivalry between the two historically Black universities that has been played for more than 100 years and remains one of the best-attended HBCU football games in the country. Alabama State head coach Eddie Robinson Jr. has floated creating a dedicated Hall of Fame for the series, underscoring how central the annual clash is to both campuses and to Birmingham itself.

Legion Field, the 71-year-old municipal stadium that hosts the game each year, has seen sporadic violence nearby during past Classic weekends, including shots-fired incidents in previous years that did not result in injuries. Saturday's shooting appears to be among the most serious in recent memory tied to the event, though it took place after the game had ended and away from the stands themselves.

Birmingham Mayor's office and police have not yet announced whether additional security measures will be considered for next year's Classic. The investigation remains active, and police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to come forward.

The incident adds Birmingham to a list of American cities that saw gun violence mar large public gatherings over Halloween weekend, a stretch that also included a shooting near the University of Delaware's campus during Halloween festivities, according to NBC News.