An award winning Australian rules footballer and former WNBA basketballer described fleeing in fear during the weekend’s Capital Pride.
Erin Phillips attended Capital Pride in Washington D.C. on Saturday (8 June). Like hundreds of others, she ran for cover after hearing suspected gunshots. The popping sounds forced people to flee in fear, causing injuries to some Pride attendees.
Police arrested Aftabjit Singh, 38, who pulled a BB gun on a person at the parade for ‘hitting on’ his partner. Police charged him weapons possession and disorderly conduct.
‘I was only about 100m from a suspected shooting at the DC Pride parade,’ Phillips wrote on Twitter.
‘Ran and hid with the thousands of others in complete fear.
‘How has the world come to this? The world my kids will grow up in.’
I was only about 100m from a suspected shooting at the DC Pride parade. Ran and hid with the thousands of others in complete fear. How has the world come to this? The world my kids will grow up in. 😥
— Erin Phillips (@erinphillips131) June 9, 2019
Phillips played in the WNBA for 11 years at currently works as director of player and franchise development at the Dallas Wings.
In the off season, Phillips is also the leading player in the AFLW – the professional women’s Australian rules league. She has twice won the league’s MVP and shot to fame when she kissed her wife after winning her first title.
Phillips married her wife Tracy Gahan in 2014 and they are raising twins together. The elite sportswoman has long campaigned for LGBTI issues, including same-sex marriage.