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As thousands of baseball fans began to walk out of Nationals Park to the sound of gunfire on Saturday night, the Washington Nationals manager and some San Diego Padres players guided many to safety.
The Nationals-Padres game was suspended in the sixth inning after a vehicle shootout outside Nationals Park injured three people, including a woman attending the game, police said.
Many fans seemed stunned in the silence, ignoring the direction of the shots before exiting the park, in some cases towards the shooting.
National manager Davey Martinez said he has guided fans and families of the players into the shelter.
“For me yesterday, I tried to protect as many people as possible”, he said during a touching press conference on Sunday.
Padres players Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Wil Myers have been seen on video open a gate on the ground and let people get into their canoes. A player picked up and carried a child.
Shortstop Tatis has said he is trying to keep fans and players’ families safe.
“It was crazy,” he told Bally Sports, the regional channel that broadcasts the Padres games. “It was a moment of panic.”
Tatis sprang into action after watching the chaotic moment.
“To be able to just see everyone running and not be sure what’s going on,” he said. “Thank goodness everyone was fine and safe.”
In a pre-match press conference on Sunday, Padres manager Jayce Tingler said of Tatis, Machado and Myers: “They thought the shelter could have been the safest place and they directed, welcomed and guided the people there. “
He cried.
“I couldn’t be prouder to be Padre, to be with the men in there, and obviously they go out, they think about their loved ones, and they have their family, it’s just human nature,” said Tingler.
As many fans made their way to the exits, it turned out that the dugouts were probably safer: A Nationals Park announcer finally told fans to stay put. The attack happened on South Capitol Street, near the park’s third base gate, officials said.
Some fans, including Subhan Cheema, a member of the White House Covid-19 response team, criticized the park for not telling fans earlier to avoid exits.
“It took you too long to communicate what the fans should be doing,” he said. tweeted. “Lots of commotion. No announcements for an extended period of time. I was one of 1000 who ran * in the exact direction * of where you now say the shooting took place. said it.”
Nationals and Major League Baseball did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Sunday.
But the team and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser released a joint statement on Sunday that said, in part, “The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) continues to work closely with national security to ensure continued security. residents, fans, workers and everyone in the area. “
The team said in an earlier statement to fans: “You have behaved in a very admirable manner. You have remained calm. You have helped each other.”
The Associated Press contributed.
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