A suspect remained at large late Saturday after a shooting near Notre Dame Stadium injured a woman and a South Bend police officer just before the Fighting Irish kicked off against Michigan State.
The shooting occurred shortly after 7:30 pm near Eddy Street Commons at the intersection of Eddy Street and Angela Boulevard. The area is a busy retail and dining district adjacent to the University of Notre Dame campus.
The shooting prompted a campus-wide emergency alert, a shelter-in-place order, and a large police response.
Authorities said the woman suffered a gunshot wound to her leg and was taken to a hospital. According to WRTV, the woman’s injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. A South Bend police officer was also struck by a ricocheting bullet. The officer received treatment at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries, South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski said.
A third person sustained injuries during the fight that preceded the shooting but was not struck by gunfire, police said.
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Campus alert issued as police searched for suspect
Following the shooting, the Notre Dame Alert Emergency System warned that the suspect had last been seen on the south edge of campus.
According to the South Bend Tribune, Notre Dame described the suspect as a heavy-set Black male with dreadlocks, wearing blue shorts, a black shirt and one white shoe. Police said that the suspect fled west on foot.
University officials had instructed fans already inside Notre Dame Stadium to remain in place while others on campus were ordered to shelter in place.
The alert remained active for nearly two hours before officials announced around 9:20 pm that there was no continuing threat to campus. However, police stressed that the suspect had not been apprehended and that the investigation remained active.
Eddy Street Commons continued to be treated as a crime scene after the game, with officers from the South Bend Police Department, Notre Dame Police and the St. Joseph County Police Department searching the area.
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Fight reportedly led to gunfire
According to South Bend Police, officers were already in the Eddy Street Commons area after Notre Dame Police reported that a man had been pointing a gun at people.
Police located a man matching the description near the south end of the development, but he was not armed at the time. As approximately 20 South Bend officers remained in the area investigating that report, a single gunshot rang out.
Chief Ruszkowski said investigators believe an altercation at a nearby bar escalated into violence, leading to the shooting.
Notre Dame defeated Michigan State 27–10, but the security response overshadowed the highly anticipated Saturday night matchup.
