Some times the events of the day overtake the blog. This is one of those times. This past weekend there was an incident during the Pittsburgh Pirates first homestand of the year. Sadly that incident did not involve quality baseball from the home team, who cam home with a 4-2 record but by the end of a 4 game set with the Colorado Rockies their record was 5-5. Rather the most hitting by the hometown folks was taking place in the stands, by the cops no less. This video has led to a rush to judgement by many, most of which are saying the police used too much force, and they very well may have. But I can't be sure for a number of reasons. First, we have no idea based on this video what was the precipitating event that was getting the fan kicked out of the stadium to begin with, as that was the reason he was first coming down the steps, he had been asked by stadium security to leave. Nor do we know how much of an incident actually occurred before he finally did leave his seat. Second, while the suspect is leaving his seat he goes to high five a fan and then to further escalate the event, throws an elbow or forearm at a stadium worker, which certainly does not help in alleviating the situation. third, while the cell phone video does pick up some sounds, we obviously here the fans and the sounds of the taser (which the suspect shrugs off) and the batons hitting the suspect, we never really hear what is being said between the cops and the suspect. Is he mouthing off to them? Are they doing so to him? I just don't know. Even if one suggests that the suspect was out of line and belligerent and the cops had a right to fear for their safety, as they claimed in their subsequent police report, the baton shot to the head seems a little much, even by my generous standards. Probably the only thing I really take out of this video, without having more information than is readily available here, it that the biggest assholes aren't the suspect, or even the police, but the douchebag fans who stood around and cheered this confrontation with their "USA, USA" chants simply because of the color of the suspects jacket. If ever there were a reason not to attend a sporting event in Pittsburgh, it would be jackasses like them.
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