Four individuals were hospitalized Friday night after a shooting occurred in Brockton, Massachusetts, a city known for its significant Cape Verdean community. The incident took place as fans gathered to celebrate the national soccer team's historic qualification for the World Cup knockout stages.
Cape Verde secured its advancement by drawing with Saudi Arabia in Houston, becoming the smallest nation ever to reach the tournament's final 32. The town of Brockton, often referred to as 'the 11th island' due to its approximately 20,000 Cape Verdean residents, had organized a large watch party for the match.
Following the game, police responded to reports of violence in the Main Street area, where large crowds had assembled. Upon arrival, officers discovered at least four people suffering from gunshot wounds. All victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment; their current conditions remain unknown. It is also unclear whether any arrests have been made.
This is not the first instance of violence in Brockton related to the World Cup. On June 21, after a previous match, five people were shot and one person was stabbed. Following the team's game against Spain on June 15, police made nine arrests, though no serious violence was reported among the crowds at that time.
The recent watch party was held at Campanelli Stadium, the home of the Brockton Rox baseball team. While no violence was reported at the stadium itself, street celebrations reportedly continued late into the night. Cape Verde is scheduled to play Argentina in Miami in the Round of 32. It is yet to be determined if another watch party will be organized for this upcoming match.