Fan Fight Inside M&T Bank Stadium Goes Viral
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Caught on camera: a nasty fistfight inside M&T Bank Stadium this weekend between groups of football fans. The viral video has been seen by tens of thousands.
Derek Valcourt has the viral video and reaction from the NFL.
The incident is one of several this weekend at NFL games. And word of warning to parents: the video is violent.
Posted on YouTube, the action happens inside the stadium concession area. It began with a shove and then fists start flying. Pretty soon one Ravens fan is knocked to the ground--apparently unable to get up. The fighting continues as a woman screams for it to end.
"Stop it," she said.
It's several seconds before the melee is broken up and security rushes in to help. City police labeled it a common assault that happened as the game was letting out. They took both parties' statements but made no arrests since the fight did not happen in their presence.
For their part, the Ravens organization would only issue a written statement, saying "We're vigilant about security at our games and always looking for ways to better the fan experience. We will not tolerate that type of behavior."
What happened at M&T Bank Stadium is the second football fan fight caught on camera this weekend.
Some 49ers and Oakland Raiders fans fought at Candlestick Park on Saturday night. That fight lasted 40 seconds before police arrived. Another man was nearly beaten to death in a bathroom there. And later that night, two men were shot in the stadium's parking lot. Police are investigating those crimes.
"If we can identify season ticketholders who may have inappropriately left their seats or people that are acting unlawfully, we should hold them accountable," said Mayor Ed Lee, of San Francisco.
The latest attacks come five months after the brutal beating of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow. The paramedic suffered severe brain injuries and remains hospitalized after he was attacked outside Dodgers Stadium, police say at the hands of two men who were dressed in Los Angeles Dodgers gear.
As for the fight in Baltimore, one of the participants was from Columbia, Md.; the other from Massachusetts.
Police believe alcohol was involved and say it's up to each party to decide if they want to pursue criminal charges.
Baltimore City police say fistfights are common at any sporting event where alcohol is served, though it's rare that those fights are caught on camera.
