USWNT pledges to ‘come together’ after nearby fatal shooting in Auckland

Laken Litman

College Football & Soccer Analyst

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The United States women’s national team was getting ready for breakfast and practice Thursday morning when the waterfront area of downtown Auckland went on lockdown due to a shooting at a nearby construction site.

A gunman killed two people and injured five others, mere hours before the FIFA Women’s World Cup was set to kick off. Police confirmed the 24-year-old male shooter is dead.

A U.S. Soccer spokesperson told FOX Sports that no members of the team were out walking around during the incident, and the team’s training session was delayed about an hour. The U.S. plays its first match against Vietnam on Friday (9 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

Eight teams, including the U.S. women’s national team, are based in Auckland during the group stage and many of their hotels were in close proximity to where the shooting took place. It was also in the same area as the FIFA Fan Festival, which had not opened yet.

U.S. Soccer quickly tweeted as the situation unfolded to say that all 23 players and staff members “are accounted for and safe” and that their “security team is in communication with local authorities, and we are proceeding with our daily schedule.”

The team was told not to leave the hotel until the scene had been cleared. U.S. Soccer said it was in touch with local authorities and the State Department throughout and received constant updates.

“There was definitely a sense of let’s come together,” forward Lynn Williams said later that afternoon. “We still have a job to do, while also recognizing that there were lives lost, and that is very real and very devastating.

“We were just thankful that we were safe, that the first responders came in and everything was very quick.”

Left back Crystal Dunn echoed her teammates’ sentiments.

“This is very real, and our condolences are with the families of the victims and the lives that were lost,” Dunn said. “I think everyone handles these situations differently, so it’s important to realize that, to give people the space that they need to work through the trauma that has occurred today.

“But just understanding that we’re a unified team, and we give people space that they need, and, hopefully, we were able to get on the pitch and have ourselves a kick around and just try to be connected again on a tough day.”

Before practice ultimately began, the team met with Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, who traveled down to lead the U.S. Delegation at the World Cup. He is expected to attend the USWNT’s first match.

The federation later released an official statement:

“U.S. Soccer extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims who were killed in the shooting in downtown Auckland today. We are saddened by the inexcusable loss of life to gun violence, and our thoughts are with the people of Auckland/Tamaki Makaurau and Aotearoa New Zealand.”

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins held a news conference in the capital of Wellington on Thursday and said the tournament would go ahead as planned. Co-hosts New Zealand plays Norway at Eden Park in Auckland in Thursday’s first opening match, while Australia faces the Republic of Ireland at Stadium Australia in Sydney in the nightcap.

“Clearly with the FIFA World Cup kicking off this evening, there are a lot of eyes on Auckland,” Hipkins said. “The tournament will proceed as planned. I want to reiterate there is no wider national security threat. This appears to be the actions of one individual.

“The police have neutralized the threat and are not seeking anybody else. New Zealand’s safety, and the safety of our visitors, is our first priority.”

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.