New details have surfaced regarding Sunday’s game-time death of Dale Mooney, 53.
Mooney died following an altercation at Gillette Stadium while watching the New England Patriots play the Miami Dolphins.
During the fourth quarter, EMTs treated Mooney and transported him to the hospital. Initially, stadium officials shared that Mooney had experienced an “apparent medical event.”
RTM’s John Symank previously reported that the event happened at about 11 p.m. E.T. and that Mooney was pronounced dead about midnight.
Boston 25 News reported that Mooney lived in Newmarket, New Hampshire, and was watching the game in the 308/309 section of the stadium.
TMZ initially reported it was not known what led to the medical incident:
On Tuesday, the New York Post reported that Mooney, a father of two, died after being “punched in the face and knocked unconscious by a Miami Dolphins fan.”
Joey Kilmartin, a spectator seated near Mooney, told MassLive that “a Dolphins fan walk[ed] over and clearly punch[ed] him in the face.”
Kilmartin added: “[Mooney got] knocked out and you can tell right away he’s not OK.”
Kilmartin also noted that Mooney was involved in several physical confrontations with other fans during the fourth quarter.
“It’s an unfortunate situation. I feel bad for the family,” said Kilmartin.
In an interview WCVB, Kilmartin said “[Mooney] basically grabbed another fan. They started tussling around for a few minutes. At one point, another fan walked over. He punched him … and the man just went out. It was pretty hard to watch.”
Mooney’s distraught wife Lisa said she feels “numb” and is seeking answers.
“I want to know what happened. What caused this?” she told WCVB. “I just don’t understand why people have to go to that extreme. Why can’t it just be fun? That’s all it’s supposed to be — a fun family event.”
“It takes a lot to get him mad. He has the patience of a saint. I don’t know what happened,” Lisa told the outlet.
JPA Football reported that Mooney was a 30-season ticket holder and was attending the game with his son. Following being punched, Mooney reportedly fell and hit his head on the ground.
No charges have yet been filed.
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