Two men are believed to have fired shots during a large gathering near Indiana University in Bloomington early Sunday morning, leaving nine people injured, authorities said.
The violence broke out around 12:25 a.m. in the 400 block of East Kirkwood Avenue near a Five Guys restaurant, where Bloomington police were already monitoring a crowd estimated at 2,000 to 3,000 people following the annual “Little 500” cycling race, according to officials.
The incident stemmed from a fight between two women that escalated when multiple individuals drew weapons, police said.
“During the fight, multiple individuals can be seen drawing handguns and it is believed that two separate individuals fired their weapons,” Bloomington Police Chief Mike Diekhoff said at a Sunday press conference. “At that point, everyone began running from the scene and officers rushed to the area to begin to look for victims.”
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Five victims were struck by gunfire or bullet fragments, while others were injured while fleeing the chaotic scene, suffering cuts and scrapes.
Those hit by gunfire or fragments included five women between the ages of 17 and 22, police said.
“All were treated and released except one who has been admitted and is in stable condition,” Diekhoff said. “At this time, we are reviewing cellphone footage and video footage from nearby businesses.”
Officials said none of the victims were Indiana University students, and the motive of the shooters remains unclear.
“The shooters were male,” Diekhoff noted.
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He emphasized the shooting was not random, noting the gathering had been peaceful prior to the gunfire.
“At this time we will continue to investigate this and update on the status of the young woman who’s still in the hospital and update the investigative leads that we have as we move forward,” Diekhoff said.
Diekhoff said that authorities prepare extensively each year for the “Little 500,” which draws large crowds from across the country.
“What we need to do is we need to make sure that we get the message out that guns aren’t welcome, violence isn’t welcome but coming and having a good time is,” he said.
Bloomington Mayor Kerry Thomson condemned the violence, calling it “an incredibly sad day” for the community.
“We condemn gun violence unequivocally in any form and my thoughts are with those that were injured last night,” Thomson said.
The “Little 500” is considered the largest collegiate cycling race in the U.S., according to the Indiana University website.
The Bloomington Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
