World Cup 2026: One dead and one critically injured in shooting near fan zone in San José

A shooting broke out Sunday in San José, California, near a 2026 World Cup fan zone, leaving one person dead and another critically injured. The incident occurred at San Pedro Square, one of the main gathering points for supporters in the San Francisco Bay Area.

One dead and one injured. That's the toll from a shooting in a World Cup fan zone in California. According to the San José police, the gunfire erupted at the intersection of North Market Street and West Santa Clara Street. The first victim was pronounced dead at the scene, while the second was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Authorities have launched a homicide investigation and immediately cordoned off the area. Several streets remain closed to traffic, and the public is urged to avoid the zone and use alternative routes.

Fan zone struck outside match hours

According to several local media outlets, the shooting happened at a time when no matches were being broadcast. The only round of 16 match scheduled for Sunday—a 1-0 victory for Canada over South Africa—had ended around 2 p.m. local time.

San Pedro Square is one of the main fan zones set up in the San Francisco Bay Area for supporters to watch World Cup matches on giant screens. Since the start of the tournament, the site has welcomed thousands of fans each day, all coming to soak up the World Cup atmosphere.

So far, authorities have released no information regarding the suspect or suspects, nor the exact circumstances of the shooting. The investigation is ongoing to determine the causes behind this tragedy.

Nouya M'toama

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Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.