While details are very sketchy at this point in time, it appears that the Auburn football program has been hit by tragedy following an off-campus shooting very late Saturday night.
According to various reports, three people were killed and two were critically wounded at a party at an apartment complex. The Auburn Plainsman reported that one of the dead is a current member of the football team and another is a former player -- we’re not naming them here until official word comes down -- based on tweets from various members of the football program.
The Auburn Police Department is expected to conduct a press conference at noon ET today.
The Plainsman wrote that the shooting stemmed from an “altercation possibly ignited because of a dispute about a girl.”
No arrests have been made, or at least been announced by the police department.
UPDATED 10:52 a.m. ET: The Associated Press offered up the following eyewitness account to the shooting.Turquorius Vines, 23, said he was at the pool party Saturday evening at the University Heights apartments with one of his friends. He said he and his friend were approached by two other men who started arguing with them over a woman.
Vines said he punched one of the men, while his friend hit both of the men over the head with a bottle. Either one or both of the two men then started shooting, he said. He said his friend was shot and killed, while two others also were hit by gunfire. Vines said he had never before seen the men who he had been arguing with.
Additionally, the Birmingham News is reporting that two ex-Auburn football players are dead and one current player was wounded in the shooting. Given the conflicting reports, we’ll again hold off naming specific names until official word comes down from the university and/or the police, the latter of which is expected to hold a press conference at noon.
UPDATED 12:24 p.m. ET: The Auburn Police Department press conference is now scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.