No Shots Fired on Tuscaloosa Strip After A-Day, Despite Rumors
There was no shooting or any other major violent crime on the Tuscaloosa Strip Saturday, contrary to rumors swirling around social media this weekend.
The University of Alabama's annual A-Day game did draw throngs of people to the area Saturday afternoon and the Strip did become overcrowded, but city officials say it did not lead to any significant violence.
"No shots were fired on the Strip last night," Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox told Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa Sunday morning. "We did declare overcrowding and cleared the sidewalks. Multiple bars closed early on their own."
There was a large police presence on and around the Strip this weekend, but that should have come as no surprise after Maddox warned on Thursday that both the Tuscaloosa Police Department and the University of Alabama Police Department would have more officers than usual on University Boulevard.
The unusually large law enforcement presence combined with some bars on the Strip closing voluntarily to avoid any potential overcrowding problems seemed to make fertile soil for rumors about a shooting or some other act of violence.
Maddox, and representatives of both TPD and the multi-agency Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit have all confirmed that no shots were fired in the area Saturday night, though.
For more updates on how things unfolded if any are made available, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.