A football game meant to be safe and fun turned into chaos when a shooting happened during the match between North Little Rock and Benton.
A parent of a student was shot in the visitor’s bleachers around halftime.
He was taken to the hospital, and although his injuries were serious, they were not life-threatening.
One Parents Was Shot During A High School Football Game!
On the evening of Friday, September 12, 2025, a high school football game between North Little Rock and Benton in Arkansas was abruptly canceled at halftime.
The North Little Rock School District announced this news, saying:
The remainder of the football game has been canceled due to a shooting outside of the stadium on the visitor’s side. The entire incident is under investigation, and more information will be released as it becomes available.
Parents, please pick up your student in the teacher parking lot, located off of Pershing.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Moreover, Benton Public Schools also released a statement:
Benton School District Statement
This evening’s Benton High School football game at North Little Rock was canceled at halftime following a shooting incident in the stadium bleachers. One parent was struck by a bullet and has been transported to the hospital. Law enforcement officers are on site and managing the investigation.
All students and staff are safe. Those in attendance are either riding home with their parents or being loaded onto district buses for transport home. We are working closely with local authorities and will provide updates as additional information becomes available.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured parent and their family. Counseling support will be available for students and staff in the coming days to help process this difficult event.
The disruption occurred around 8:18 p.m. when a shooting took place near the visitors’ section of Charging Wildcat Stadium.
One man, believed to be Desmend Alexander, a parent of a Benton band member, was shot.
Without any delay, he was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Initial reports confirmed that he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to the severity of his injuries.
The incident caused panic among attendees, although all students and staff were confirmed to be safe.
As of the latest update, the victim’s condition was classified as non-life-threatening.
He has been released from the hospital and is recovering.
Authorities have not yet publicly identified the shooter, and the investigation remains ongoing.
One of the eyewitnesses, a parent of a North Little Rock High School student, described the actions of the school as calm and coordinated, saying:
I was at the game. As a parent, I am beyond proud of how this was handled tonight. I saw parents, teachers and administrators all working together to get these kids to safety. Security is present at every game I have attended. Hopefully NLRPD can get clarification on the incident and we can be updated. Just wanted to share my perspective.
Likewise, other parents expressed their shock and heartbreak, sharing sentiments that reflected their fear and concern about the student’s safety.
