Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy, a first-team All-SEC selection last season, was shot at a concert in Mississippi early Sunday morning and is in stable condition following surgery, the school announced Monday.
Police told WJTV-12 News and the Laurel Leader-Call that Hardy was shot in the upper leg at an outdoor concert that drew a large crowd at the Kamakazy Biker Club in Laurel, Mississippi.
“Ahmad is deeply loved by his teammates, coaches, friends, family and fans,” the school’s statement said. “We will continue to stand beside him and his family through this difficult time, offering our love, prayers, strength and support.”
Hardy was taken to Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He is alert Monday and moving around, a source told ESPN’s Pete Thamel, and there’s optimism that he will play football again. How quickly he can return and the impact, however, has yet to be determined.
The school announced Monday that “a timeline for his return to football activities is unknown at this time.”
Laurel police Sgt. Macon Davis told the Leader-Call that at least two people were injured and three people of interest were in custody.
“There had been a scheduled concert there of some rappers, or maybe a couple of different rappers,” Davis told the Leader-Call. “It drew a large crowd, and then gunshots rang out at the end.”
Hardy, who is from Oma, Mississippi, was second among FBS players with 1,649 rushing yards last season. The first-team Associated Press All-America selection and SEC Newcomer of the Year also scored 16 touchdowns and averaged 6.4 yards on his 256 rushing attempts en route to being a finalist for the Doak Walker Award.
He transferred to Missouri from UL Monroe following the 2024 season, when he rushed for 1,351 yards and 13 TDs on 237 attempts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
