At least 3 people hurt; no arrests after Aztecs fans push past security at Viejas Arena
San Diego CA April 5 2023
At least three people were hurt Monday when Aztecs fans pushed past security guards at Viejas Arena as a live broadcast of the NCAA national championship game got underway, San Diego State University police said Tuesday.
No arrests were made as of Tuesday, the SDSU Police Department said.
The department provided few new details, and police and university officials did not respond to several questions from the Union-Tribune about the planning of the watch party. It marked the first time the Aztecs reached the NCAA championship game.
At Viejas Arena, thousands of fans had lined up to attend the free, university-sponsored event. Tickets were not required.
A minute before tip-off, Viejas Arena tweeted that the venue had reached capacity. (The tweet was later deleted.)
After the gate doors were closed, fans climbed over the gates. Some of them opened the doors, and throngs of fans pushed past security guards and rushed inside, according to witnesses who spoke to the Union-Tribune, and photos and videos shared online.
Some security guards unsuccessfully tried to block the entrances with their bodies to hold back the crowd. Several fans could be seen crying.
Caroline Joensson, 19, a freshman foreign exchange student from Sweden, said she was near the main gate when the incident happened.
“We were standing there for a while and then all of a sudden some guys climbed over the fence and then the doors opened and everybody was pushing,” Joensson said after the game.
She said she was caught “in the middle of it” as the crowd rushed inside. She said someone in a group she was with grabbed her arm and pulled her inside the gates.
“It all went by so fast,” she said.
Katie Flores, 19, a freshman at SDSU, said she, too, was caught in the commotion as fans pushed to get inside the arena gates.
“It was just like a mob,” Flores said.
University police said they received reports of three injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Two people requested medical aid, but police did not say whether the people were treated at the scene or taken to a hospital.
After the incident, police officers from several agencies responded to control the situation.
According to police, there were no reports of property damage after the incident.
Police asked anyone with information about students “involved” to share the details via the university’s online incident reporting page.
“We are appalled by the behavior of a number of individuals who chose to access Viejas Arena gates, disregarding the direction of security officials, to access the venue after it reached capacity,” police said in part in a statement late Monday night. “The actions of a few should not and do not take away from the many who are celebrating safely. Our university has a high level of expectation of safe and responsible fan engagement, and we urge all community members to place safety above all priorities.”
The Police Department did not respond to questions about the planning of the watch party or possible changes to future planning for other events. The statement on Monday night said the department manages public safety at an estimated 250 sports games, concerts and other events at university-owned venues, including Snapdragon Stadium, Viejas Arena and the Cal Coast Open Air Theatre.
