Texans WR Tank Dell sustains ‘minor injury’ in mass shooting, was reportedly 1 of 10 shot at Florida nightclub
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell suffered a “minor” injury in a shooting Saturday night that left 10 people injured at a Florida nightclub.
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 was not involved in the altercation, per the report.
Officials: 10 shot after altercation escalates
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office told local media that 16-year-old Christopher Bouie Jr. was arrested as the suspected shooter. He is being detained in a juvenile detention center. He faces 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.
Per local reports, deputies 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 took place just after midnight. The injuries to the victims are primarily to their lower extremities and are not life-threatening, investigators said.
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 fist fight broke out before the shooting. The suspected shooter, who wasn’t involved in the fight, allegedly then pulled out a gun and started shooting into a crowd of people, per the report.
Per Bouie’s arrest report obtained by ClickOrlando.com, a security guard tackled 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 cooperating with the investigation.
Dell, 24, was having a breakout rookie season with the Texans in 2023 before he fractured his fibula, which ended his season. Over 11 games (eight starts), Dell made 41 catches for 709 yards with seven touchdowns. There has been no information released about the nature of Dell’s injury, and whether it will impact his recovery from his fractured fibula.
