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Is Dodger Stadium Family-Friendly?
Opening Day incident leaves many wondering about safety
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It was Opening Day and the Los Angeles Dodgers started the season on the right path with a 4-3 victory over their rivals and last year's World Champion, San Francisco Giants. As the game concluded, Dodgers fans filed out of the historic stadium into the parking lot celebrating the Dodgers victory.
However, a 41-year-old paramedic and Giants fan Bryan Stow, while leaving the stadium with Giants apparel wearing friends, was taunted by two men wearing Los Angeles Dodgers apparel. The taunts turned physical as the two Dodger fans attacked Stow and hit him in the back of the head. Stow fell and hit his head on the pavement while his friends tried to get away from the attackers. The attackers continued the assault and kicked Stow while he was down.
Stow was rushed to the hospital where he underwent surgery and remains in intensive care. His attackers are still on the run.
READ MORE | Police Release Sketch of Suspects in Opening Day Brawl
Most sane individuals understand that this type of behavior is far from acceptable and is very extreme in nature. But there is a growing population who believe that violence at Dodger Stadium is becoming commonplace despite claims of Dodgers brass.
Josh Rawitch, the Dodgers vice president of communications, said “it is extremely unfortunate that this incident took place on what was otherwise a great day at Dodger Stadium for tens of thousands of fans.”
“We're committed to having the most fan- and family-friendly environment in baseball and will continue to make that a top priority,” Rawitch said. “We are cooperating fully with authorities during their investigation and we wish Mr. Stow a speedy recovery.”
Giants manager Bruce Bochy told reporters that “it's a shame that someone is in critical condition because of a ballgame.”
“Let's not get too serious about this,” Bochy said. “We're having a lot of fun out here, we're doing all we can to win, just like the Dodgers trying to beat us, but when it starts getting violent, then it's getting out of hand.”
When asked if there was any stadium that concerned him, Bochy said: “Now it does. It hadn't really concerned me in the past.”
Herrera said 89 people were arrested and cited at Dodger Stadium Thursday, 72 for public intoxication. There were 132 arrests at the 2010 opener. Police also issued 52 tickets for traffic violations, she said.
In 2005, the Dodgers increased security and instituted an 11-point code of conduct, after fans in outfield seats littered the field in response to the arrest of two teenage boys who went onto the field, causing a six-minute delay in play while paper cups and plastic water bottles were removed.
The Dodgers show a video at each game on the code of conduct.
At the Dodgers' 2009 home opener, also against the Giants, a 30-year-old man was stabbed in a parking lot outside Dodger Stadium about 90 minutes after the game ended.
Arthur Anthony Alvarez was found not guilty of an assault with a deadly weapon charge after claiming self-defense.
His attorney, Deputy Public Defender Kate Hardie, said her client had been knocked to the ground and that a bottle had been thrown at his car, but Alvarez “kept trying to make peace with him.”
Deputy District Attorney David Reinert said he also believed it was a “self-defense verdict” based on questions that jurors had asked before reaching their decision.
On Friday, LAPD stepped up their presence at the stadium, and Saturday's game will bring about the same level of security, but some wonder if it will be enough. While others wonder if the Dodgers front office is doing enough to ensure the safety of their fans and the fans of opposing teams?
