USWNT Pledges to Stay ‘Unified’ as Mass Shooting Devastates New Zealand Before World Cup
usmagazine.comThe U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team is safe after a mass shooting in Auckland, New Zealand, resulted in multiple casualties.Hours before the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup was set to kick off on Thursday, July 20, a gunman opened fire at a construction site in downtown Auckland.
Police referred to the shooting as an “isolated incident” in a Twitter statement, later confirming that three people died — including the suspect.
An additional six were left injured.U.S. Soccer swiftly took to social media to inform fans anticipating the beginning of the international tournament that players and staff “are accounted for and safe” after the incident. “Our security team is in communication with local authorities and we are proceeding with our daily schedule,” read a statement.The federation later addressed the fatalities as concern for players’ safety grew. “U.S.
Soccer extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims who were killed in the shooting in the downtown Auckland today,” a second Twitter statement noted. “We are saddened by the inexcusable loss of life to gun violence, and our thoughts are with the people of Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau and Aotearoa New Zealand.”Several team members also responded to the tragedy before their first game against Vietnam. “Unfortunately, I feel like in the U.S.
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