NFL: A 53 year old fan died at Gillette Stadium after a fight in the stands

[Barnum]

When I was going to college, I went to a few Raider games in Oakland and I swore the game was not complete until I saw someone being dragged away in handcuffs. It typically was the case too because of these Assholes can't control themselves. I would much rather just be at home watching Red Zone (And not Drink, I prefer sodas anyway). It seems like the fan experience is getting worse.

You know, I’ve been to the Coliseum for a Raiders game. Bunch of us flew down to see a Pats/Raiders game soon after the tuck game and we were very careful with what we wore with none of us getting too excited about anything, kept it mellow. Overall really good experience and the Raider fans were super cool. I’ve been to quite a few stadiums around the league for Pats games and BY far the San Diego fans were the worst. Good thing it’s no longer there, they were unbelievable assholes.

Recently I got invented to a Premier League game and I was like “no thanks”. I’ve almost had my head kicked in just for being on the subway with Liverpool fans leaving their game going back home. There is nothing worse than drunken English hooligans, makes us Americans look like children.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Condolences to the family of this man. I don’t go to NFL games anymore because I have seen to many things because people can’t control their alcohol consumption. I have seen beer cup fights because people are dumb.
Never mind that the games are too expensive but when you do go you have to contend with idiots who drink too much.

 

[TheAngryHank]

I've seen some pretty hairy altercations at sports bars, too. It's getting to the point where people's unpredictable anger level and general shittiness make me not want to bother.

Gambling can play a whole new role in sports entertainment, a drunk dude who just lost his ass will likely get pissy ,don't ask me how I know .I don't bet sports but I've been plenty passed and drunk at tables , so I don't do that anymore.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Some good clips of the fight, sounds like they were arguing back and forth throughout the game.

The guy who died appears to have lost his temper and confronted the other guy physically toward end. He also appears to be a willing combatant during the fight.

Sad he died but he shares a lot of the fault based on those clips

 

[SirClintonPortis]

He is the victim of his own poor choices, all the way down the line. He received everything he deserved. Getting in a fight with a stranger at a football game when you are in physically poor condition is an extremely risky and foolish decision with no upside. There used to be a thing called common sense. Are people no longer responsible for their own bad decisions?

I can hate lawyers and the legal system...but then you have posts like these....leaving me not wanting "peers" to do judging in certain situations...

 

[PeteWorrell]

Both belligerents should have been tossed out after the first altercation. Someone would most likely still be alive if security had a firmer hand.

 

[Barnum]

Some good clips of the fight, sounds like they were arguing back and forth throughout the game.

The guy who died appears to have lost his temper and confronted the other guy physically toward end. He also appears to be a willing combatant during the fight.

Sad he died but he shares a lot of the fault based on those clips

I dunno man, even in your video it shows the guy was grabbed, his shirt pulled over his head and another person punched him in the head. All the media reports are stating he was sucker punched including the NY Post which has not written a nice thing about the Patriots in 20 years.

Instead of bicker about this on my end (not you) the dude is just dead and that‘s all that happened that night. He probably should not have walked towards his foes, though. Apparently at some point in his life he saved a drowning teen, so he couldn’t have been a meat head entirely.

 

[Ratbath]

I dunno man, even in your video it shows the guy was grabbed, his shirt pulled over his head and another person punched him in the head. All the media reports are stating he was sucker punched including the NY Post which has not written a nice thing about the Patriots in 20 years.

Instead of bicker about this on my end (not you) the dude is just dead and that‘s all that happened that night. He probably should not have walked towards his foes, though. Apparently at some point in his life he saved a drowning teen, so he couldn’t have been a meat head entirely.

it looks bad for the guy attacking. i dont know. he seems subdued when the "two punches" are delivered at the end. maybe not.

 

[alko]

I do spend almost every home game at the football stadium here (as well as having season tickets to the baseball, hockey, XFL, basketball team here and tickets to rugby, and women's soccer)

Wtf? All this in one season?

 

[Fenway]

24 hours later more details are emerging

Witnesses describe ‘heartbreaking,' ‘brutal' scene at Gillette surrounding fan's death

After the death of a fan who attended Sunday’s Patriots game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, an investigation is ongoing by both state police and local prosecutors.

www.nbcboston.com

WATCH: New video shows fight in stands prior to fan’s death at Gillette Stadium - Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - Gillette Stadium officials say they are “heartbroken” by the death of a fan as law enforcement continues to investigate an incident<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://whdh.com/news/watch-new-video-shows-fight-in-stands-prior-to-fans-death-at-gillette-stadium/">Read...

whdh.com

 

[John Price]

Witness: Man who died at Gillette was punched

Joey Kilmartin said he saw Dale Mooney, a 53-year-old from New Hampshire, confront a rival Dolphins fan whom he had been arguing with during most of the game before he was punched twice in the head. Mooney later died, and police are investigating.

www.espn.com

Wtf? All this in one season?

yed

 

[Primary Assist]

If the killer fan planned on going to the game and purposely pissing people off by being obnoxious the whole time, then that sounds premeditated. First degree murder his ass

And then RICO the entire contingent of Miami fans who were being obnoxious along with him.

Yes I know the law doesn't work that way, and maybe this is just due to the current news cycle, but the behavior of people in large crowds seems to be getting worse and worse post pandemic. We are at the point where major events need to have an even larger police and security presence, making things worse for the average person who isn't there just to cause a scene and be belligerent

 

[John Price]

Lot of people scared in here but the biggest lesson to learn as someone attending games for 8 straight years in all sports is don't start no shit and there won't be no shit

Don't get in fights with random strangers

control your booze

if you're just a bystander you will rarely get caught up. It's sad what happened, but he got into an argument and got clocked twice in the noggin.

 

[hatterson]

Regarding potential charges. Massachusetts does not recognize mutual combat legally either by explicitly banning it or by explicitly allowing it. That means even if both fully agreed to a fight, they could absolutely be charged with assault, battery, manslaughter, etc. based on the results.

That said, the fan may have a self defense argument given that the fan who died seemed to initiate the physical altercation. Granted Massachusetts has a more strict self-defense law than other places and it's more complicated than just "he attacked me so I'm free to defend myself however I want"

 

[StreetHawk]

Lot of people scared in here but the biggest lesson to learn as someone attending games for 8 straight years in all sports is don't start no shit and there won't be no shit

Don't get in fights with random strangers

control your booze

if you're just a bystander you will rarely get caught up. It's sad what happened, but he got into an argument and got clocked twice in the noggin.

For sure control your booze. Plus consider your seats and section. If it seems like a rowdy one, definitely consider looking for seats in a different section.

And always remember, it's a game that you have no impact on. So, don't let these losers who live their life through pro athletes get to you.

 

[Barnum]

Lot of people scared in here but the biggest lesson to learn as someone attending games for 8 straight years in all sports is don't start no shit and there won't be no shit

Don't get in fights with random strangers

control your booze

if you're just a bystander you will rarely get caught up. It's sad what happened, but he got into an argument and got clocked twice in the noggin.

Even then it is not enough, sometimes. I was at the Bruins/Canucks Marty McSorley/Donald Breshear game, I was 100% sober and after the stick whack it was pure bedlam in the stands with majority Canuck fans grabbing and sucker punching anyone in a Bruins sweater . The only thing that saved me was my GF at the time needed a wheel chair (for a leg injury)and we were put in handicap seating. We jumped into the elevator to get the f*** out of there and 3 Canuck fans tried to grab me but saw I was pushing a WC, stopped and told me I was lucky. I quickly took my hat off after that and I was fine but it was scary in the arena that night. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how much you keep your mouth shut and monitor your alcohol, people’s fandom makes them insane.

I stopped going to live games, a bunch of years back. Just not worth the “what ifs”. It’s not about being scared, I can handle myself, it‘s about insane drunken fans and their buddies with them. Alot of these incidents it seems are couple dudes on one guy. That never ends well.

 

[TheAngryHank]

I don't go to big events , I never really cared for mobs of people.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

If the killer fan planned on going to the game and purposely pissing people off by being obnoxious the whole time, then that sounds premeditated. First degree murder his ass

And then RICO the entire contingent of Miami fans who were being obnoxious along with him.

Yes I know the law doesn't work that way, and maybe this is just due to the current news cycle, but the behavior of people in large crowds seems to be getting worse and worse post pandemic. We are at the point where major events need to have an even larger police and security presence, making things worse for the average person who isn't there just to cause a scene and be belligerent

Not sure if serious

 

[John Price]

Even then it is not enough, sometimes. I was at the Bruins/Canucks Marty McSorley/Donald Breshear game, I was 100% sober and after the stick whack it was pure bedlam in the stands with majority Canuck fans grabbing and sucker punching anyone in a Bruins sweater . The only thing that saved me was my GF at the time needed a wheel chair (for a leg injury)and we were put in handicap seating. We jumped into the elevator to get the f*** out of there and 3 Canuck fans tried to grab me but saw I was pushing a WC, stopped and told me I was lucky. I quickly took my hat off after that and I was fine but it was scary in the arena that night. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how much you keep your mouth shut and monitor your alcohol, people’s fandom makes them insane.

I stopped going to live games, a bunch of years back. Just not worth the “what ifs”. It’s not about being scared, I can handle myself, it‘s about insane drunken fans and their buddies with them. Alot of these incidents it seems are couple dudes on one guy. That never ends well.

Security handles a lot of that now, you will almost never see a fight even in the poor people's section of the hockey game now (almost never happens in baseball or basketball), the usher usually breaks it up pretty fast or the fans break it up. That said I've been going to games for 8 years now and I've seen some pretty funny shit, including a drunk slide down 8 rows and bop me right in the back, and two women catfighting at a penguins caps game, one caps fan literally tried to rip this woman's malkin jersey off rofl

people do stupid shit, they've been drinking way too much, just ignore it



Again not excusing what these people do, just saying football is the worst for crowds and is not a family environment. you can take your kids to the baseball stadium and nothing's going to happen to them

 

[Primary Assist]

Not sure if serious

No, not actually serious. But I still want the law to come down hard on the guy. If you go to a football game with the plan of being drunk, loud, and obnoxious and getting into people's faces, then don't be surprised once you start facing consequences.

All this idiot fan had to do was be respectful. Instead he decided to push it too far and now he's a murderer

 

[Barnum]

Security handles a lot of that now, you will almost never see a fight even in the poor people's section of the hockey game now (almost never happens in baseball or basketball), the usher usually breaks it up pretty fast or the fans break it up. That said I've been going to games for 8 years now and I've seen some pretty funny shit, including a drunk slide down 8 rows and bop me right in the back, and two women catfighting at a penguins caps game, one caps fan literally tried to rip this woman's malkin jersey off rofl

people do stupid shit, they've been drinking way too much, just ignore it



Again not excusing what these people do, just saying football is the worst for crowds and is not a family environment. you can take your kids to the baseball stadium and nothing's going to happen to them

I appreciate what you are saying and comments but it feels like you’re talking down a little, especially with the “don’t be scared” comment. I don’t think you mean it like that at all but it is coming across like that. Here’s a little info on me, I’ve been going to games for 40+ years and in some of the worst stadiums back when security sucked including Yankee/Red Sox games in the 70s/80s when fist fighting was expected if not guaranteed. Not only that, I’ve been in some of the worst piss poor ghettos not only in the US but throughout the world, fired my gun in anger at pirates and terrorists. I’m good with the “it’s all good and don’t be scared” speeches. Sometimes, you just get tired of the bullshit at games and it becomes not worth it. It’s supposed to be a game and all for fun. Something has changed the last 10 years, I see way too much anger and tribalism at games that gets out of hand. Maybe it is just me. Cheers, Brother!

 

[Reality Check]

Stuff like this is why I don't bother attending games.

Been happening all my life.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Stuff like this is why I don't bother attending games.

Been happening all my life.

I only go if I’m invited by family or friends (aka I go for free) and/or sit in decent seats.

Otherwise I’d have to drop 100+ dollars to sit in nosebleeds can’t see shit and spend close to another 100 dollars if I want a couple beers and some

And getting to MetLife is one of the more treacherous drives and commutes

 

[adsfan]

I would have liked to see more video from before this happened. That rarely happens in life.

Punch #2 was MUCH harder than #1. If I was on the jury, the puncher is going away for manslaughter.

Don't start trouble in the stands! That goes for both sides in this altercation.


The Packers handle this by revoking season tickets of the people who act up. If you take friends and they don't behave, you can lose your tickets. Years ago, they used to announce how many fans were ejected or arrested. There would be numbers like 80 or 100. More recently, it is more like 8 or 10. That is out of 81,400 fans.

I went to Lambeau Field with my brother about 10 years ago. He is a reformed Viking fan who switched to the Packers in the early 90s. There were some Vikings fans with a canopy as we headed toward the stadium. My brother stopped and asked where they were from. After about 5 minutes, they asked us if we wanted some beers. That is the way the fans for the home and road teams should act. You all like pro football, especially against a division rival.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

I only go if I’m invited by family or friends (aka I go for free) and/or sit in decent seats.

Otherwise I’d have to drop 100+ dollars to sit in nosebleeds can’t see shit and spend close to another 100 dollars if I want a couple beers and some

And getting to MetLife is one of the more treacherous drives and commutes

it might be even worse to get out of than to get into, and that's saying a lot.