Texas A&M–Texarkana Baseball Player Struck by Stray Bullet During Game

An 18-year-old Texas A&M–Texarkana baseball player was shot during a game Saturday, according to a Facebook statement by the Texarkana Police Department. The incident occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m. CT at George Dobson Field at Spring Lake Park while the player was standing in the bullpen area. 

“It appears that he [was] struck by a stray bullet from some type of altercation in a nearby neighborhood to the west of the park,” according to the police statement. 

The NAIA game against the University of Houston–Victoria was called, and the player subsequently underwent surgery. Later, the school announced that the unnamed player was in stable condition at Christus St. Michael Hospital in Texarkana. 

“The university’s counseling services are available to players and other students,” the school’s statement read. “At this time we ask that you keep our student athlete, his family, teammates and friends in your prayers.”

Texarkana Police Department spokesman Shawn Vaughn told the Texarkana Gazette that the player was shot in the chest in the fifth inning. The game’s announcer said, “Shots fired! Shots fired,” according to an unnamed attendee. This led to the crowd scattering.

The game was declared a no-contest, the Texas A&M–Texarkana athletic department announced on Twitter. According to the school’s website, it was the team’s Senior Day and the team’s last home game before the Red River Athletic Conference baseball tournament next weekend. No arrests have been made at this time.