Giants fan critically beaten after Dodgers home opener

The Los Angeles Dodgers opening day was marred by violence when a San Francisco Giants fan was critically beaten in the stadium parking lot after the game.

Los Angeles police were searching Friday for two Dodgers fans responsible for assaulting and critically injuring a man wearing San Francisco Giants apparel following Thursday’s game.

"The man suffered a serious head injury during the assault after the game,'' said Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Sanford Rosenberg, watch commander at the Northeast Station.

Rosenberg said the victim was one of three Giants fans attacked in the parking lot around the end of the game by two unidentified men wearing Dodgers clothing.

The unprovoked attack occurred about 8:30 p.m. in Parking Lot 2 when two men in Dodgers clothing approached three victims in Giants apparel, police said.

The men then attacked the trio, kicking and punching them and shouting expletives about the Giants as they delivered the blows, Rosenberg said. The attack left one victim hospitalized in critical but stable condition, Rosenberg said.

The LAPD arrested at least two people for public intoxication in the parking lot compared to more than 130 on opening day last year.

Detectives ask anyone with information on the attack to call the LAPD's Northeast Station at (213) 485-2563.

Public intoxication has been an issue at Dodger home openers in the past, leading to police crackdowns. It's unclear if drinking was a factor in this case. The Dodgers beat the Giants 2-1.

RELATED:

Giants fan seriously beaten, 25 people arrested at Dodgers home opener

-- Richard Winton

Photo: Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly greets his coaches and reserve players during pregame introductions on Thursday evening at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / March 31, 2011)

Comments

[Otirb Kcaj]

They're just thug RAIDER fans in blue.

[Laloco]

Hope the victim is OK. Whoever did this needs to be in jail or dropped off in the heart of Oakland wearing a "Go Dodgers" T-shirt. Idiots.

[smellsofpoo]

Idiot sports fanatics, It is only a game, who cares who wins or loses, It is only a little kids game. Poor sportsmanship.

[N.P.Krohn]

This is terrible and has to stop now. I grew up in LA during the gang wars of the late80's and am no stranger to violence. School was not safe, dodged my first bullet at 12 during P.E.(it hit a brick wall about 2ft from my head) and saw a kid shot to death right in front of me walking home from school that same year. I have been shot at driving around town but the streets are never soft. Yet in all the games(over 100) I attended through the 80's and 90's i don't ever recall a single act of violence on par with the beatdowns, stabbings, and shootings that have occured at Chavez Ravine the last Decade or so. It was arguably the safest place i knew as a kid. This is a sad legacy we are leaving for a whole generation of kids.

[Don]

I was there yesterday and I hate the Giants as much as the next Dodger fan but this is just stupid. I will never bring my family here because the fans are so disrespectful and have a bunch of liquid courage in them. I was embarrassed at the way "our" fans acted towards Giants fans. I don't like the Angels but I would rather watch a game at The Big A because it is a better atmosphere. We need the O'Malleys back..

[Larry]

people need to be fair. It's very unfortunate to what happened to the Giant fans but it has NOTHING to do with the Dodgers. I was threatened to be lit on fire by Padre fans in san diego and had trash thrown on me in Coors field, all for just wearing my Dodger hat, so the real problem are there are scumbags in every city that go to sporting events that drink too much.

[Lemeritus]

Bottom line:

These jack-wagons need to be found and made an example of.

If you were a witness to this, do your team and your town a favor and help the cops find them. Why let them make us all look like losers?

[David]

This goes to show you how stupid baseball and especially The Dodgers are. They are an embarrasement. This is about the fans. Maybe the Giants fans should do the same to some Dodgers, but then again that act would lower themselves to these idiots.

[Paul]

I would never take my young son to Dodger stadium with all the violence and terrible language

[Sam]

I've been to plenty of Dodgers games and somehow I doubt that the attack was unprovoted. I have been withness to many drunk and obnoxious Giants fans at Dodger Stadium and can understand why it may have been justified.

[Ms. G]

Please dont judge the Dodgers or Dodger fans based on a few bad apples. I'm a latina, making over $70,000 and I don't have a criminal record. Alcohol plays a factor no matter what the race!!

[Elmo]

It is so sad what has been happening to Dodger Stadium.. They need to beef up security in all areas of the stadium and parking lot.. remove anyone caught throwing anything at anyone.. remove people who curse and use abusive language.. let's bring civility back to our stadium.

[Mary]

L.A. and Dodgers = violence...need I say more?

[N.P.Krohn]

I have worked as bartender for over a decade in places people might consider shady, early on i dealt with drunken violence on a frequent basis. I would react to situations after they occured. Some one would get beat and i would break it up often resorting to violence to squash it all more times than i am proud of. As i got older though i began to see it coming ahead of time and learned the ultimate truth regarding all issues dealing with these type of incidents. The only way to stop it is to stop it from walking in the door. People who do these things spend their whole lives posturing and are easy to pickout. Before the game they like to hangout and mad dog who ever they deem fit. They will yell cuss words at targets. They throw their hands up in challenge. The mad dogging is more subtle but is no less offensive and speaks more to the intent of future actions. All three actions could and should be used before games start to illiminate problems during and after the game. When someone acts menacing send them home, eventually they will shape up or they will stop coming. Going to a ball game is not a civil right it is a commercial enterprise and the proprietor has the right to refuse service to anyone. You eliminate the posturing you eliminate most of the problems. Since i have implemented these tactics at my work i have had 3 altercations of a very minor sort in 8 yrs as opposed to dozens upon dozens in my first 5yrs of bartending. We need to stop this now before it becomes like the old Colliseum.

[Avenger]

Watch your backs Dodger fans when you come up north for a game. Two can play this game.

[Ed]

I am a life long Giants fan. I live in So. Cal. but I grew up a Giants fan and always will be. I would love to go to a game... bring my family, enjoy the GREAT rivalry between these 2 teams. But, i went 1 time with my kids and was so disgusted by the behavior of... honestly the "South of the Border" fans that I will never go back. I am sure no Dodger fan cares if Giant fans go or not... and that is the sad part. Rivalry can be fun.... except some people have to live existentially through their team and feel somehow it makes them a better "Dojyer" Fan and actually makes them a "Dojyer" in real life when they act like thugs... SAD Existence Bro....

[jimbo]

I love the Dodgers, but this is why I stopped taking my kids to the stadium.

[Lela]

This is absolutly awefull. What does this say about Angelinos...that their a bunch of idiots.

[pwee]

Well thats why i didnt go to a Dolphin game in Oakland last year STUPID!

[JH]

A direct reflection on the ownership - a Giant fan was murdered last year and this year another seriously beaten? Take the franchise away from the McCourts.

[AK]

I'm a native Angeleno, Dodger fan, Giant hater, but this is outrageous. A few bad apples tainting an otherwise marveouls opening day. Just like the wannabe Lakers fans that cause trouble downtown whenever they win the NBA finals.

I hope the LAPD does find these knuckleheads and the courts make an example of them. The Dodgers beat the Giants just fine on the field, no need to take it to the parking lot!

That said, if you're in someone else's stadium anywhere (especially soccer matches in the UK!) it is wise to tread carefully and not try to instigate an altercation or allow yourself to be dragged into one. People that genuinely aren't looking for trouble rarely seem to find it.

[randy]

I don't know which is more disturbing- the violence at the game or the racist remarks on this comments page.

[Mary]

JUST BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE DID WHAT THEY DID DOES NOT MAKE DODGER FANS THUGS ALL YOU DUMB ASSES ARE SO IGNORANT THE ACTIONS OF SOME PEOPLE DONT HAVE AFFECT ON A WHOLE CROUD I PERSONALY AM A BIG TIME DODGER FAN AND HATE THE GIANTS BUT WOULD NEVER PARTICIPATE IN SOMETHING LIKE THAT EVER!!!!!! SO FOR ALL YOU PEOPLE SAYING DODGER FANS ARE SCUM AND ALL THE SAME DONT BE STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jo in LA]

Just another reason to avoid Dodger Stadium ... I think Dodger Stadium is an amazing place but I don't go there anymore because of crap like this. Who wants to bring their kids out and have to worry about their safety? We now go to Angel Stadium to watch the Dodgers play, sad!

[Windy]

I have been a Dodger fan all my life and I am not a thug!! Not by any means! These people are sad and pathetic. It is retards like this that give good teams and people a bad name.