At an Opening Day game in Los Angeles on Thursday, Dodgers fans severely beat Bryan Stow, a San Francisco Giants fan. On Sunday, doctors decided to induce a coma medically in order to check the extent of injury to his brain. Just a day earlier, a portion of his skull was removed to reduce swelling.
As a paramedic in Santa Clara County, Stow is known for saving many lives, and colleagues bemoaned the tragedy. “ All he did was go to a baseball game,” expressed Samantha Tennison, a co-worker who also resided in Santa Cruz. Leaders representing the two teams and cities involved released a joint statement on Sunday against the violence that rival fans could evoke. The statement encouraged fans to “ root hard” for their teams but to do it with common decency and civility. The 42-year-old paramedic went to Dodger Stadium with two friends to root for the Giants, who eventually lost 2-1. Los Angeles police report that he and his friends were taunted by two men donning on Dodgers gear as they were on their way out the stadium.
The two men reportedly attacked Stow with a punch to the back of his head, and kicked him repeatedly after he fell to the ground and continued kicking even after Stow became unconscious. A spokeswoman for the USC Medical Center in Los Angeles County shared that Stow was in critical condition by Sunday. The suspects are still at large, though LA police officer Cleon Joseph disclosed that they were described as two twenty-something Latino men. Meanwhile, Stow’s friends and colleagues believe Stow was the last person they expected to engage in any form of violence. Rebecca Mackowiak, a paramedic who had worked alongside Stow for the five years, described him as the one who always calmed things down and got people to laugh even in tense situations. She believed that if the two men were simply harassing Stow, he would have just walked away.
Friends described the father of two as a man passionate for his work who had mentored numerous trainees. He was also described as having an exceptional bedside manner, being able to joke with patients as well as colleagues, releasing tension in otherwise stressful situations. Tennison added that the “ little old ladies” enjoyed his company as he flirted with them. Mackowiak also added that he treated just about anyone with respect, including homeless drunks that other paramedics or police officers would not give the time of the day. Stow was reportedly a season ticket holder for the Giants and a loyal Dallas Cowboys fan, and he often traveled to watch his favorite teams play. In fact, he had been to Dodger Stadium several times.
