Dodgers fans attack, critically injure Giants fan

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APRIL 1, 2011GIANTS PAGEGIANTS VIDEO

LOS ANGELES (APCSN) -- Police believe many baseball fans witnessed the beating of a San Francisco Giants fan that left him critically injured after the opening day game at Dodger Stadium and they're asking Friday for their help in identifying the attackers.

Two men in Dodgers clothing followed three men in Giants gear as they walked to their car after Thursday night's 2-1 Dodger victory, Sgt. Sanford Rosenberg said.

He said the men yelled slurs against the Giants and began kicking and punching the men, causing one victim to suffer a head injury. The victim, a 42-year-old Santa Cruz man named Bryan Stow according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel, was hospitalized Friday in critical but stable condition.

"He's not doing too well," Stow's brother-in-law David Collins told the Sentinel. "He's still unconscious, and they just decided to put him in a medically induced coma. They are hoping the brain swelling will go down, but it hasn't, and they are talking about removing one of his frontal lobes."

Police say the assault happened around 8:30 p.m. in Parking Lot 2.

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Investigators were reviewing footage to see if any security camera captured the attack, but Det. Larry Burcher said so far they've found "nothing of great value."

He asked anybody who may have filmed the beating with their cell phones or video cameras to come forward.
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"We're very confident there were witnesses, it happened immediately following the game when everybody was coming out," Burcher said.

The Dodgers said they were cooperating with investigators and wished the victim a speedy recovery.

"It is extremely unfortunate that this incident took place on what was otherwise a great day at Dodgers Stadium for tens of thousands of fans," the team said in a statement. "We're committed to having the most fan and family friendly environment in baseball and will continue to make that a top priority."

The stadium has been plagued by opening day violence in the past.

In April 2009, a man stabbed his friend in the stadium parking lot after the home opener, in which the Dodgers beat the Giants 11-1. Arthur Alvarez was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Alvarez, who contended that he was knocked to the ground and acted in self-defense, was later acquitted by a jury.

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