One person was killed and another suffered life-threatening injuries following a shooting on Sunday at a well-known entertainment venue in San Jose, California, where a World Cup “fan zone” has been hosting match screenings, authorities said.
Police confirmed that no World Cup match was being shown at the time of the shooting.
The day’s only tournament fixture had already ended at about 2 p.m. local time.
“One victim was pronounced deceased on scene. The second victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries,” San Jose police said in a post on social media platform X/Twitter.
“This incident is being investigated as a homicide. Several surrounding streets are closed in the area.”
The shooting happened at San Pedro Square, a major gathering location in the San Francisco Bay Area that has attracted large crowds for World Cup “watch parties,” where fans have been following matches on large outdoor screens.
The Bay Area has hosted five World Cup matches so far, with the most recent being a knockout-stage fixture on Wednesday between Bosnia and co-hosts the United States.
A Reuters journalist at the scene reported seeing a significant police presence, several patrol vehicles and a person on a stretcher, partially covered with a white sheet, being moved away by uniformed personnel.
Authorities sealed off the area following the incident, while many bars and businesses nearby shut down afterward.
A security guard, who asked not to be identified because she was not authorized to speak publicly, said she witnessed the injured individual in distress.
“The person was still moaning and groaning. There was blood around his neck and upper back,” she said. “Police were talking to security and a couple of witnesses.”
Officials said there are several dozen World Cup fan zones operating across the Bay Area.
