A violent confrontation occurred in Gillette Stadium on Sept. 17 that led to the death of a lifelong Patriots fan.
Dale Mooney, 53, lost his life after an altercation with rival fans on a Sunday-night game between the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins. The incident happened toward the end of the fourth quarter of the game in the 300 Level of the stadium.
EMTs responded to the incident at around 10:57 p.m., as Mooney was still alive but needed medical attention. He was then transported to Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro, Massachusetts, where he passed away just before midnight.
According to Mooney’s wife, Lisa, Dale was a season ticket holder for 30 years and a father of two. She said he went to the game with three friends, who told her they were “verbally taunted” by other fans at the game.
“It takes a lot to get him mad,” Mooney said. “He has the patience of a saint. I don’t know what happened.”
Accounts from witnesses of the incident have helped piece together exactly what happened.
“He basically just grabbed another guy, and they started tussling around for a few minutes,” said Joe Kilmartin, a fan who witnessed the incident. At one point, another Dolphins fan walked up, punched him, and the man just went out.”
But even before the preliminary autopsy results were revealed the following Wednesday morning, Kilmartin said he believed that Mooney was in distress before he ever even hit the deck.
An investigation has been opened by the police as well as the Norfolk County district attorney. An autopsy was also taken to try and figure out what could have caused Mooney’s death.
In a report from CBS News Boston, the autopsy showed Mooney suffered a “medical issue” that may have been a contributing factor in his death. It also did not suggest traumatic injury played a role in his passing.
“Preliminary autopsy results did not suggest traumatic injury, but did identify a medical issue,” according to a statement from the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office. “Cause and manner of death remain undetermined pending further testing.”
The DA did not elaborate on what “medical issue” Mooney had exactly.
So far, there has not been anyone arrested or charged in connection with the death of Mooney.
“We’re still reviewing all of the video and other evidence,” said David Traub, a Norfolk County DA’s Office spokesperson. “We’re still piecing this together, all of the events.”
“It is definitely a tragedy that should never have occurred,” said Christian Castillo, a senior mass communication major. “I am a huge Dolphins fan, and I can say that the actions of that one Miami fan that night do not represent us as a whole.”
“Whether or not the punches are what ultimately killed him, the fans should still be held accountable for what happened,” said Payne Wilson, a junior business major. “At the end of the day, you don’t have the right to beat someone up because they are fans of another team.”
This is the second time in three weeks that a brawl has started amongst NFL fans. Many fans are hoping for the NFL to make some kind of change to help prevent these incidents.
