Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell sustained a “minor” injury in a mass shooting Saturday night that left 10 people injured at a Florida bar.
The Texans announced Dell’s injury in a statement Sunday. He was released from the hospital and “in good spirits,” according to the statement.
“We have been made aware that Tank Dell was a victim of a shooting in Sanford, Fla. last night,” the Texans said via their X account. “He sustained a minor wound but has been released from the hospital and he is in good spirits. We are in contact with him and his family and will provide more updates when appropriate but we ask that you please respect his privacy at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in this incident.”
Aaron Wilson of news station KPRC 2 in Houston reported that Dell was “a victim and innocent bystander in a mass shooting at a nightclub” and was “caught in the crossfire.” He had nothing to do with the altercation that broke out, according the report.
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office told local media that a 16-year-old minor was arrested and taken into custody as the suspected shooter. He is being detained in a juvenile detention center. He faces very serious charges of attempted homicide, discharging a firearm on public property, display and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a minor.
Embed from Getty ImagesPer local reports, authorities responded after hearing gunshots from the rear of the Cabana Live nightclub in Sanford, Florida, roughly 25 miles northeast of Orlando. Detectives told reporters on Sunday that 10 people were recovering from injuries sustained at the shooting that occurred just after midnight. The injuries to the victims are primarily to their lower extremities and are not life-threatening, investigators said.
Eye witness Neisha Foster described the scene of the shooting to Orlando’s WESH.
“I heard, ‘Pow, pow, pow!’ I was so frightened I started looking around, everybody just roaming around scattering,” Foster said. “I was terrified. I was crawling on the ground screaming for my sister. Everybody is trying to ask me what’s going on. Everybody is clueless.
“I seen quite a few people that was injured. A couple was shot in the leg and arm.”
An arrest report from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office obtained by WESH states that a brawl broke out prior to the shooting. The suspected shooter, who was not involved in the fight, allegedly then pulled out a gun and started shooting into a crowd of people, per the report.
According the arrest report, obtained by ClickOrlando.com, a security guard took down the alleged shooter and disarmed him “almost immediately” after the shooting started.
The Cabana Live acknowledged the incident that took place “outside our establishment last night” in a social media post Sunday and stated that it was fully cooperating with the investigation.
Dell, 24 years-of-age, was having a breakout rookie campaign with the Texans in 2023 before he fractured his fibula, which abruptly ended his season. Over 11 games (eight starts), Dell hauled in 41 receptions for 709 yards with seven touchdowns. There have been no details released about the nature of Dell’s injury, and whether it will impact his recovery from his fractured fibula.
