Stray bullet strikes college baseball player during game in Texarkana
TEXARKANA (CBSNewsTexas.com) -- A college baseball player was hit by a stray bullet during a game in Texarkana on Saturday, authorities and school officials said. The 18-year-old student at the Texas A&M University-Texarkana, who a university spokesperson identified as Matthew DeLaney, from the Collin County city of Princeton.
DeLaney underwent surgery for his injuries, and is being treated in the ICU at Christus St. Michael Hospital in Texarkana. He is stable, but has a number of serious injuries, the university said.
Texarkana Police said in a statement that two people were shooting at each other in a neighborhood near George Dobson Field in Spring Lake Park around 5:30 p.m. Saturday. One of the rounds flew about 400 yards, striking DeLaney, who was standing in the bullpen area.
Texarkana police identified 17-year-old Kamauri Butler and 20-year-old Demarco Banks as suspects in the shooting. Banks has turned himself in, and police were still looking for Butler as of Monday morning.
The game between Texas A&M-Texarkana and University of Houston-Victoria, was called shortly after the incident, with the Red River Athletic Conference declaring a "no contest". A scouting event taking place in another part of the same park was cancelled early as a precaution, police said.
"The university's counseling services are available to players and other students," Texas A&M-Texarkana wrote in a separate statement after the shooting. "At this time we ask that you keep our student athlete, his family, teammates and friends in your prayers."
School officials also decided to cancel a doubleheader that the softball team was meant to play on Sunday against Louisiana State University of Alexandria, the university's athletic department announced. The decision was made "due to the events surrounding yesterday's baseball game," the department said.
