Houston Texans wide receiver, Tank Dell, was an unfortunate victim of a mass shooting that occurred at a nightclub in Stanford, Florida, on Saturday. Although he sustained minor injuries, he has since been discharged from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
The Texans have assured fans that the 24-year-old Dell is in “good spirits,” according to a statement released on X, the rebranded social media platform previously known as Twitter.
“We have been made aware that Tank Dell was a victim of a shooting in Sanford, Fla., last night,” the release read. “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 the incident.”
Multiple reports suggest that a fistfight at Cabana Live led to the shooting. Dell was not involved in the fight but was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire.
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office arrest report indicates that a teenager, uninvolved in the altercation, fired shots aimed at a crowd of people. A security guard working at the venue immediately tackled the suspect and disarmed him. As a result, ten people, including Dell, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The 16-year-old connected to the shooting has been taken into custody.
As soon as multiple gunshots were heard, and a crowd of people was seen running, the police were called. Neisha Foster, a witness at the shooting scene, expressed her fear when she heard the shots.
“I was terrified,” she told WESH 2, a local Orlando news station. “I was crawling on the ground screaming for my sister. Everybody is trying to ask me what’s going on. Everybody is clueless.”
Foster added that she’s “grateful to be alive and I’m grateful to be back with my kids.”
The authorities said 16-year-old Christopher Bouie Jr. is facing charges of attempted homicide, discharging a firearm on public property, using a firearm during a felony, and possession of a firearm by a minor.
A spokesperson from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office could not confirm the victims’ identities, as per CNN.
Cabana Live released a statement about the incident on Facebook, saying, “As most of you have heard, there was an incident outside our establishment last night. We are cooperating with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office and praying for all those involved. We reserved our venue out for a private event and we are still learning as the investigation continues what was the cause of this isolated incident. Our Cabana Live family is 100% safe and appreciate all the prayers and concerns. We are open our normal business hours.”
Dell, a former University of Houston star, is from Daytona Beach and was in Florida visiting his mother when the shooting occurred. Stanford, Florida, the location of the incident, is approximately 40 miles from his hometown.
The shooting happened after the Texans’ receiver made a full and speedy recovery from a broken fibula that ended his impactful rookie season. This offseason, the Texans have acquired All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs and the two have already been building chemistry on the field with Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud and John Metchie III. The trio worked out together in Los Angeles with NFL trainer Justin Allen and private coach Delfonte Diamond.
“He looks great,” Stroud said. “He’s gotten a lot better. Mentally, I think for both of us, really all of the rookies coming into Year 2, everything is starting to slow down, and the wheels aren’t turning so much up in your head. You’re starting to play ball. Being able to throw with him in L.A. was really big.”
Dell, coming off an impressive rookie season, ended the year with 47 catches, 709 yards, and a rookie-record seven touchdowns. He was also the team’s primary deep-field target. Four of the Texans’ catches of 20 yards or more were Dell’s touchdown receptions. At the time of his injury, this was the third-highest mark in the league for a receiver with touchdowns of at least 20 yards.
“Tank is back and he’s starting to get in with our guys here with the offseason programs,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “So, I’m excited to have Tank back. That was a devastating loss for us last year, losing him. He’s such a dynamic player for us, such an inspiration for myself, a lot of our team. So, I’m excited to see Tank back working with our guys, and excited to see him make that same jump I talked about from Year One to Year Two.”
Despite the injury, coach Diamond believes that Dell has improved his game and he’ll be ready in time for OTA’s– Organized Team Activities.
“To be honest with you, he hasn’t lost a beat,” trainer Delfonte Diamond told KPRC 2, a local news television station in Houston. “He looks 10 times faster. Yes sir, he’s a special breed. He’s moving like he’s always been doing. He ran full speed.”
He added, “He’ll be more than ready for the time OTAs jump off. He’s way ahead of schedule. I can’t wait to see No. 3 put that helmet back on. That first year was the teaser. He’s fixing to up the price.”
Dell, 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, suffered his injury during the 11th game of the season while blocking on a red-zone run as bodies awkwardly crushed his leg in a scrum.
He’s now back and part of what is arguably the best wide receiver corps in the NFL. There are high expectations for the Texans in the upcoming season, and Dell is eager to demonstrate his abilities. The rising wideout told KPRC 2 that his rookie season was just a trial for him and he has more in the tank.
“I just feel that was a test run for me,” Dell said. “I had a lot more to display, but God puts you through things for a reason. So I just kept my head up. I know the years to come are going to be special here. It’s going to be good.”
