The Pittsburgh Pirates have taken action against a PNC Park employee who was seen on video whipping a fan with his belt during a recent game.
In the video that circulated on social media Monday, the park employee is seen confronting a fan, then throwing punches at him. The situation calms down briefly, but the fan spits at the employee, prompting the staff member to remove his belt and began striking the fan with it.
Eyewitnesses claimed the two fans were harassing a female worker, and the other ballpark employee stepped in to defend her, leading to the confrontation.
The Pirates said in a statement that the ballpark employee has been suspended, and the incident is being investigated.
“The employee’s behavior was entirely unacceptable, and he was immediately suspended,” Pirates senior vice president of communications Brian Warecki said in a statement, via Julia Burdelski of TribLive. “This incident is currently under further investigation.”
The Pirates have been plagued by a series of negative headlines since the season started. Recently, a fan fell from the outfield stands at PNC Park during a game in a frightening accident. The team has also faced criticism for disrespecting a franchise legend, and fans are largely fed up with ownership over a lack of spending and competitiveness.
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