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Statement of defense Police explain maneuver to avert 'dangerous situation'Posted: Tuesday September 17, 2002 7:21 PMUpdated: Tuesday September 17, 2002 7:58 PM
PALMER PARK, Md. (AP) -- Police defended the use of pepper spray during the Redskins-Eagles game, saying it was needed to break up a fight in the stands and stop a fan from being kicked on the ground. The spray drifted onto the field during Monday night's game and caused an eight-minute delay. An officer tried to stop the fight, but there were too many people involved, the Prince George's County (Md.) Police Department said in a statement Tuesday. So he used pepper spray, which immediately stopped the brawl and sent the attackers fleeing. "The officer made the decision to deploy the pepper spray to quickly control a potentially dangerous situation with the minimal force necessary to assist the spectator in trouble," the statement said. "The action was taken to safeguard the well being of all nearby spectators." The fight broke out with about 6 1/2 minutes to play and the Redskins on their way to a 37-7 loss. By that time more than half the 84,982 fans had left. "If that had happened before last Sept. 11, you would have thought nothing of it," Redskins tackle Jon Jansen said, "because we've all been in stadiums where the crowd gets out of hand. But, any more, you don't know what it is, especially in this area." Police said cooling fans on the field pulled the pepper spray residue behind the Eagles' bench. Philadelphia players scattered from their bench onto the field, and players and fans in the stands on that side of the stadium held their noses, as a national TV audience tuned to ABC's Monday Night Football watched. |
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