A wild fight between a parent and a referee spilled onto the court during a youth basketball game in Indiana on Saturday.
A verbal altercation turned physical when a male parent reportedly left his seat and struck a game official at SportONE Parkview Fieldhouse in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
It was all captured on video and posted to Twitter by Jeff Lytle, who wrote in part: “… Why is it ok to attack an official?”
Lytle appeared to post a screen-recording of an Instagram video that captured the melee.
In the footage, the spectator approached the referee before the video appeared transition to the two physically fighting.
The referee eventually tackled the parent to the ground, where they got tangled up near the bleachers, according to the footage.
Meanwhile, young athletes on both teams stood and watched while nearby parents attempted to deescalate the situation.
The parent and the referee were eventually separated.
According to Lytle, the incident occurred during an eighth-grade boys’ basketball game between Team Robinson 2027-PINK and the Blue Water Hurricanes, which lost the Game 78-7.
The spectator who approached the referee reportedly was a parent of the Blue Water Hurricanes.
It is unclear what started the altercation, however, the parent and referee were seen exchanging words before things turned physical.
A witness told WANE 15 that the parent was complaining about foul calls, and after speaking to the referee, was asked to leave the game.
When the official attempted to get help in removing the parent, the man got in his face and grabbed the referee, according to the witness — who said the the parent was escorted out of the venue, and did not return.
The witness claimed they showed officers the video of the incident.
Spokespeople for the Fort Wayne Police Dept. and Allen County Sheriff’s Dept. said officers were not called to the scene, according to TMZ.
It’s unclear if anyone was injured in the incident.
“This is insane,” one Twitter user replied to Lytle’s video, adding, “That official is one of the best guys we have out there on a weekly basis.”
What do you think? Post a comment.
In his reply, Lytle wrote:”The official’s son was a Division 1 football athlete.”
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