A pregnant Chargers fan from San Diego says she was attacked by a man during an argument at a Pittsburgh Steelers game last Sunday, the Pittsburgh Current reports.
Photos showing the man gripping the woman’s neck, taken by freelance photographer Shelley Lipton, can be seen here. Other photos and video from the fight appear to show her grabbing the man’s face, according to KTLA sister station KSWB in San Diego.
Daniel Minshew told the website that he and his wife, who is 26-weeks pregnant, were “subjected to verbal and physical abuse the entire evening” when they traveled from San Diego to Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field to see the Chargers play on Dec. 2.
The Minshews said field security guards were unresponsive when they asked for help as the harassment escalated through the game’s first half. The couple claims a Steelers fan was harassing them and when the woman stepped between her husband and the man, he grabbed her by the neck as they argued.
“Not only was there an assault, but my wife is also 26-and-a-half weeks pregnant and I legitimately feared for both of our safety,” Minshew told the Current. “After the assault … no security or presence of law enforcement was visible in the actual section and the only way we felt [we could] safely exit the stadium was with a large group of Charger fans.”
Minshew said he and his wife, whose first name was not released in the Current’s reporting, plan to pursue charges against the man with local police. That suspect also remains unidentified.
The Pittsburgh Police Department confirmed that they are investigating the confrontation.
A spokesperson from Heinz Field released a statement to the Current, saying:
“We strive to make events at Heinz Field safe for our guests. This type of behavior seen in the photo is unacceptable and something we do not condone on our property. We are working with Heinz Field security as well as local authorities to gather more information on this particular incident as the Pittsburgh Police determines whether or not to press charges, and we will ensure those involved as the aggressors will not be permitted back into our stadium.”
