A Pittsburgh Pirates employee has been suspended after a shocking video emerged showing him in a violent fistfight with a fan at PNC Park — a scene that escalated so severely, the worker ended up whipping the man with his belt.
The chaotic altercation took place on Sunday during the Pirates’ game against the San Diego Padres, and it quickly caught national attention after footage of the brawl began circulating online.
According to CBS, the incident began when the employee — dressed in a white polo and tan pants — attempted to intervene in an argument between two men and a concession stand worker. Things took a sharp turn when one of the men got into a face-to-face confrontation with the Pirates employee. Seconds later, punches started flying.
The fan took several blows in the initial exchange and appeared dazed. In what looked like an attempt to escalate the confrontation further, the fan calmly removed his hat, glasses, and jacket — seemingly preparing for round two.
The situation exploded once more when the fan spat blood on the Pirates worker. That’s when the employee — now fully enraged — removed his belt and began striking the fan with it repeatedly as onlookers screamed in disbelief.
Fortunately, other bystanders intervened before things got even worse, and police arrived shortly after to take statements and file a report. No arrests have been announced as of yet.
The Pittsburgh Pirates issued a statement on Monday, condemning the worker’s behavior:
“This individual’s actions were entirely unacceptable and are not reflective of our organization’s values. He was immediately suspended, and this incident is currently under further investigation.”
This marks the second troubling event at PNC Park this month. Just days earlier, a fan fell from a railing and sustained serious injuries — though reports say he is now recovering.
