A New Jersey man has been convicted of murder and related charges for shooting a 10-year-old spectator at a high school football game and wounding two other people.
Alvin Wyatt, 35, of Atlantic City, had argued that he acted in self-defense when he opened fire at Pleasantville High School on Nov. 15, 2019. The shooting left a man and two children wounded. One of the youths, Michah Tennant, was shot in the neck while he watched the game with his mother and sister.
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Tennant died five days later, just hours before the playoff game was resumed at the Philadelphia Eagles stadium.
Besides the murder charge, Wyatt was also convicted Thursday on two counts of attempted murder and three weapons charges. He faces life in prison when he’s sentenced Sept. 11.
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Authorities have said the wounded man was targeted by Wyatt, and was among those charged in the case. Wyatt was captured on the football field moments after the shooting by a Pleasantville officer who was part of the game’s security detail.
During the trial, it was noted that the man had previously shot at Wyatt about three weeks earlier. Wyatt testified that he met some friends at the game and was walking through the stands when he happened to encounter the man, who Wyatt said threatened to shoot him.
Wyatt said he saw a gun in the victim’s waistband and opened fire to protect himself when he saw the victim reach for his weapon. Authorities have said the victim — who has used a wheelchair since the shooting — did have a weapon but did not fire it. He eventually pleaded guilty to attempted murder and a weapons charge.
