JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — UPDATE, 8/23/2022: Action News Jax has learned that an arrest has been made in a fight that happened Saturday at TIAA Bank Field during a Jaguars preseason game.
Video of the fight has gone viral on social media.
Nathan Lawrence, 22, was arrested on resisting an officer with violence, resisting an officer without violence, disorderly intoxication and trespassing on property of another and defies order to leave, according to a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
An officer found Lawrence in Section 124 “screaming and pushing everyone around him attempting to engage in a fight,” the report said.
Another officer “took control” over Lawrence’s arms and he continued to resist “attempts to restrain him from actively fighting others around him.”
As he was being ejected from the stadium, he “attempted to remove his shirt and pull away” from the officers taking him out of the stadium. An officer “conducted a takedown” and put Lawrence in handcuffs.
Lawrence was released from the Duval County Jail early Monday morning on bond, according to jail records.
Original story below:
A fight in the stands at TIAA Bank Field during the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Saturday night preseason matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers has caught the attention of Jags’ management.
Video of the fight was posted on Twitter by local attorney John Phillips.
So many arrests and ticket suspensions about to be handed out. It’s preseason folks. If you get that upset out in public at a @Jaguars game, perhaps you deserve what’s coming. And SAFE should be ashamed at the response time. pic.twitter.com/8t0kYqodXc
— John M. Phillips (@JohnPhillips) August 21, 2022
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The reason behind the fight is unknown, but the video shows it was a volatile situation in the stands.
A man claiming to have been the one to throw the first punch said in a widely-circulating Facebook post that he was called a racial slur and that is what led to the fight.
The man said he had an extra empty seat that he had purchased in his row because he recently had shoulder surgery and wanted to have extra space. He said prior to the alleged racial slur, he kept asking members of another group to not sit in that seat, but they kept doing so.
Action News Jax is not naming that man at this time because he is not facing charges at this time.
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A spokesperson for the Jaguars released the following statement:
“The ongoing investigation of an incident at Saturday’s preseason game, which is being conducted by ASM Global, in coordination with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, has the complete support of the Jaguars organization.
“The Jaguars and our stadium partners remain firmly committed to creating a safe and enjoyable experience for all that visit TIAA Bank Field.”
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ASM Global, which manages TIAA Bank Field, released the following statement:
“The safety of all guests, players and staff remains the top priority for all stadium events. ASM Global is working closely with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to identify any/all bad actors involved in the incident. The Jaguars organization has also offered their full support, including access to any of their resources that could aid the investigation.”
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