Fan hit by stray bullet at Rays-Marlins game - DC Breaking Local News Weather Sports FOX 5 WTTG

Fan hit by stray bullet at Rays-Marlins game

A fan attending the June 16 Tampa Bay-Miami game at Tropicana Field was hit in the leg by a stray bullet, which was presumably fired from a mile or two outside the stadium.

The bullet most likely pierced the roof of the Trop and struck Charles Sweatt's right thigh.

Sweatt only felt a mild sting and momentarily thought he'd been hit by a foul ball, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Another fan found the stray bullet that left a small bruise on Sweatt's thigh. The 54-year-old Sweatt is from Parker, Fla., a small town located in the state's panhandle.

Sweatt was struck about 9:00pm ET and, after being examined by paramedics, went back to watching the game, which the Marlins won 4-3.

St. Petersburg police spokesman Bill Proffitt told the Times, "No one really knows where that bullet came from. It was a falling bullet. That's what it looks like."

A shooting occurred on the same night, at roughly the same time, about a mile away at Williams Park. A gunman fired multiple times at another individual, only grazing him. Police declined to speculate on whether one of those errant shots may have gone skyward and descended through the Trop.

It's unlikely that the shot came from within the Trop -- going straight up and falling slowly back into the stands -- since security checks are performed at all gates before fans can enter the stadium.

Read more: http://www.foxsportsflorida.com/06/27/12/Stray-bullet-hit-fan-during-Rays-Marlins/msn_landing.html?blockID=752656&feedID=8768