Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell wounded in shooting that left 10 hurt; teen arrested
By Amy Simonson and Paradise Afshar, CNN
(CNN) — Tank Dell, a wide receiver for the NFL’s Houston Texans, was wounded Sunday in a shooting in Sanford, Florida, that injured 10 people.
Dell, 24, is in good spirits after he sustained a minor wound in the shooting, the team said in a statement posted on X. He has since been released from the hospital.
“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,” the statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the incident.”
Dell was caught in the middle of the shooting and had no connection to the gunmen, Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma said at a news conference Monday afternoon. Sanford is about 20 miles north of Orlando.
Authorities have yet to make a decision on whether the 16-year-old suspected shooter will be charged as an adult, the sheriff said.
Lemma said nine of the 10 people who were shot have been released from the hospital with minor wounds. The last victim should be released soon, he said.
Investigators believe the juvenile pulled out a 9mm handgun following a physical altercation and began firing, according to the sheriff. The search continues for a second person who may have fired in self-defense, Lemma said.
“So what we have is two people engaged in gunfire on the left and right side of the physical altercation that is going on,” he said.
Lemma said the actions of a security guard who tackled the 16-year-old suspect to the ground and turned him in to police “took a very dangerous situation and made it less significant than what the potential could have been.”
Lemma said about 200 people were at the event, including Dell, who was invited by promoters. It was being held at Cabana Live, which is open to the public as a restaurant and bar. The venue also is leased out for private events and private parties.
Promoters had 10 armed security members on site, according to the sheriff.
“Security was at the door checking IDs and then patting people down for weapons,” Lemma said.
The sheriff said he does not know how the 16-year-old made it into the party, and the investigation is ongoing. He added the gun recovered was legally purchased in Miami in 2018, but the sheriff does not know how the teen allegedly obtained it.
Dell is from Daytona Beach, Florida, according to the NFL. Daytona Beach is about 40 miles from Sanford.
The Texans selected him in the third round of the 2023 draft. He had 47 catches and seven touchdowns in 11 games in his sparkling rookie season. His year ended prematurely, though, when he suffered a broken tibia in December.
CNN’s Steve Almasy contributed to this report.
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