Police investigate shooting near youth football games at South Valley Park

MONTGOMERY VILLAGE, Md. — Montgomery County Police say two groups of people began shooting at each other around 5:40 Saturday evening near South Valley Park. Nearby, hundreds of youth football players and their families 

“It was like a tidal wave of people coming towards us. It was ridiculous," said Brice Jackson, the Commissioner of Montgomery Village Youth Football. “It was homecoming, it was a great day. I had coaches that hadn’t been there in 20, 30 years. Everybody’s having an awesome time. Next thing you know, shots rang out.”

Jackson was on the field when shots were fired. He says an 11U football game was in the third quarter when people began to scatter.

"We have over 200 kids that play with us. That’s not counting the two cheer teams, that’s not counting the siblings, that’s not counting the other teams and their siblings," said Jackson. "You could imagine how many kids we had out there and the adults and grandmas."

He says the gunfire came from people that had nothing to do with the homecoming celebration that featured eight football games with kids ages 5 to 13.

“I have cars still sitting in the parking lot with bullet holes in them," said Jackson. “I had some moments yesterday. I had a grandma I had to talk to. She was so shaken that she was calling for a child that she was clutching.”

Montgomery County Police say a 17-year-old was wounded but expected to survive.

"We know that the shooting occurred between two groups. At least one person from each group shot at each other," said Officer Carlos Cortes with the Montgomery County Police Department. “We want the community to know that this is a concerning and alarming crime that occurred nearby a school as well as near a neighborhood."

"Real talk, man. Real talk, if you can’t come to an event for kids and conduct yourself, stay home. Just stay home. We don’t need it," said Jackson. "It’s hard enough out here. To come out here and provide for these kids, some of these kids don’t have homes. This is all they have and you’re going to destroy that?”

Jackson says Montgomery Village Youth Football is hosting a town hall meeting with Montgomery County Police on Monday.

"The good thing about it is everybody’s on board," he said. "Everybody’s willing to help and everybody wants to step up and make this happen, because we’re about these kids.”

Authorities haven’t announced any arrests related to Saturday’s shooting.