A game day staff member for the Pittsburgh Pirates has been suspended after being caught on video engaging in a wild fight with a fan at PNC Park.
The incident occurred on Sunday during the Pirates’ game against the Padres. CBS reports that the conflict began when the employee, dressed in a white polo and tan pants, attempted to separate two men arguing with a concession worker.
Video footage shows the employee and one of the men confronting each other closely before the situation escalated into a physical altercation. The fan was hit several times and briefly stepped back to regain composure, then removed his hat, glasses, and jacket—seemingly to prepare for a more even fight.
Despite bystanders’ attempts to break it up, tensions flared again when the fan began spitting blood at the employee. The staffer responded by removing his belt and striking the fan multiple times.
Eventually, others managed to de-escalate the situation, and police arrived to file a report.
On Monday, the Pirates condemned the employee’s actions as “entirely unacceptable” and announced his immediate suspension. They also stated that the incident is under investigation.
This marks the second major incident at PNC Park this month—just days earlier, a fan was injured after falling from a railing, though he is reportedly recovering.
