Security will be beefed up at Thursday night’s game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets as the investigation continues to find the suspects who assaulted a Mets fan outside Dodger Stadium on Friday night.
“We will have several hundred officers deployed, both in uniform and undercover posing as fans,” Los Angeles police Officer Matthew Ludwig said.
Officers will patrol on foot, on bicycles and on horseback, Ludwig said.
Fans seeing problems were urged to contact an usher, stadium security, or an LAPD officer, Ludwig said. Problems also can be called in to the stadium security number (323) 224-2611, or by texting 69050 with the keyword “ladfan,” Ludwig said.
Meanwhile, police continued their efforts to find a mother and her son, believed to have carried out an assault of a Mets fan outside Dodger Stadium following Game 1 of the National League Division Series, Ludwig said.
The fight happened about 10:30 p.m. Friday in parking lot L, shortly after the Mets defeated the Dodgers, 3-1.
Witnesses said a loud argument broke out among rival fans in the parking lot, and a Mets fan was punched and fell, striking his head on the ground and suffering a severe head injury.
The victim remains hospitalized in critical condition, Ludwig said.
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck reached out to the public for help leading to the assailants.
“If you were at Friday night’s game in parking Lot L, post-game about 10:30 p.m. and you saw a fight, a scuffle, and you remember anything about it or you have video, please contact the Los Angeles Police Department,” he said.
The suspects were described as a 25- to 30-year-old man of medium height and weight with light-colored hair and a 40- to 50-year-old woman who stands about 5 feet 3 inches tall and has blonde hair.
The investigation, which has included the review of surveillance video and interviews of witnesses, is being handled by the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division.
The attack was reminiscent of the March 31, 2011, assault of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium, during which Stow was punched in the stadium parking lot after the game and fell to the ground, cracking his skull on the pavement.
Stow was left in a coma by the attack. He eventually regained consciousness and survived, but suffered permanent brain damage.
Two men pleaded guilty to attacking Stow and were sentenced to prison. The attack led to questions about the adequacy of security at Dodger Stadium.
Stow sued the team and was awarded $18 million.
— Wire reports