Soccer Fans Brawl In The Streets In Lodi Outside Grape Bowl
LODI, Calif. (CBS13) - Several people were injured outside the Grape Bowl in Lodi on Saturday after a brawl broke out between fans of rival soccer teams.
Lodi police say more than 100 people spilled out into the streets surrounding the stadium, around 2:45 p.m., with several dozens directly involved in the fighting.
Ernie Silva lives just behind the stadium and saw it all unfold from his block, starting with a shirtless man with a severe head injury.
"Blood pouring out everywhere," he said, describing the man's head and face. "Not even a second later I hear sirens."
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The event was a high-profile soccer match between rivals Chivas and America.
"We weren't expecting any type of violence or a brawl to break out. This was just going to be a sporting event," said officer Jerry Bahr with Lodi Police.
Several departments were called in to assist, including the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department and California Highway Patrol.
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"We eventually got the crowd dispersed," Bahr said. "At this point, one victim has been identified as having some lacerations and a major head injury."
From his view up close, Silva says the fighting was intense.
"Probably like 60 people fighting right in the middle of the street, swinging big pipes. Big ole 12 foot pipes, 5-foot pipes flying across the crowd," he said. "People started to scatter, running through the parking lot, bloody, shirts off."
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At one point Silva says people tried running into his house.
"Yeah, yeah, to hide and get out of there from the cops so they don't get arrested," he said.
The brawl he says lasted upwards of 15 minutes.
In the end, police did not make any arrests, but say it's an open investigation and ask anyone from the public with pictures or video to come forward so they can piece together how the fight started and identify the people involved.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
