Dodgers End Half-Price Beer Promotion Amid Fan Beating Investigation
Dodgers officials are considering a variety of ways to improve safety at the stadium.
Watch Elizabeth Espinosa's report
 Bryan Stow and children (Family Photo) |
The promotion, which was set to begin April 21, has been canceled in light of an incident last month in which a Giants fan was brutally beaten after the Dodgers home opener.
The six-game "Throwback" promotion, in which the team will dress in 1940s uniforms, will continue to include half-price food and soft drinks.
The 42-year-old father of two and paramedic remains hospitalized in critical condition in a drug induced coma at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center.
He suffered a severe skull fracture and bruising to his frontal lobe.
Doctors had to remove a portion of Stow's skull to help reduce severe brain swelling. They say it's possible he sustained lasting brain damage.
On Monday, hundreds of people participated in a fundraiser at Dodgers Stadium.
Motorists lined up at the stadium to drop off cash and checks for a relief fund for the hospitalized paramedic. Over $61,000 was collected.
Dodger legend Tommy Lasorda contributed $5,000. He struggled to hold back tears as he handed volunteers the check.
Stow's employer, American Medical Response, raised $140,000 to pay for his medical expenses at a barbecue fundraiser in San Jose on Wednesday.
The Dodgers and the Giants met Monday night for their first game in San Francisco since the attack.
Security was stepped up inside and around AT&T Park to prevent any similar incidents.
Before the game, players from both teams gathered on the pitcher's mound in a show of solidarity.
Dodger's second baseman Jamey Carroll addressed the crowd.
"There's no room in this game for hatred and violence. It is about respect," Carroll said, receiving a loud applause. "This is America's national pastime and let's keep it that way."
In the wake of the attack, Dodgers officials are considering a variety of changes to improve safety, including abandoning a plan to sell half-price beer at six midweek day games beginning April 21.
Beer prices, serving sizes, and serving times are also being scrutinized.
Dodgers owner Frank McCourt also agreed to create a computer mapping and crime tracking system for the stadium similar to the one the LAPD uses to monitor crime patterns and hotspots throughout Los Angeles.
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck vowed to dramatically increase police presence at games after the brutal beating of a visiting fan at the Dodgers home opener.
The Dodgers will also pay for more LAPD officers to be present at Dodger games, Beck said, overriding a Dodger policy against armed officers inside the stadium.
McCourt has agreed to pay for an increase in the number of LAPD officers patrolling in the stadium and the parking lots during and after games.
"If you come to intimidate, to antagonize either other fans or fans of another team, we're going to do one of two things," Beck said. "You're going to be thrown out of the stadium or you're going to get to go to jail."
Beck said last Thursday he will, at a minimum, double the number of uniformed LAPD officers at the stadium. Currently, about 30 to 40 uniformed officers are on duty for each game.
"You are going to see a sea of blue. And it's not going to be Dodger blue. It's going to be LAPD blue," Beck said.
Undercover police officers will be on hand as well, according to Beck.
Last Wednesday, the team announced it had hired Beck's predecessor, William Bratton, to assess their security policies and procedures at the stadium.
The Dodgers say Bratton and his team at the global investigative firm Kroll will begin consulting immediately.
"We are committed to ensuring that Dodger Stadium remains a family-friendly environment for all baseball fans," said Los Angeles Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt.
Bratton has said he plans to look at several issues, including lighting in the parking lots, security staffing levels and alcohol sales.
The reward for the suspects who attacked Stow now stands at $150,000, after longtime radio host Tom Leykis pledged to kick in $50,000.
Leykis' donation adds to the $25,000 from the Dodgers, $50,000 from the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, $10,000 from the Giants and $5,000 from Stow's employer, American Medical Response.
The assault happened around 8:30 p.m. in Parking Lot 2 following the Dodgers home opener.
Two suspects reportedly knocked Stow to the ground, kicking him repeatedly in the head.
The attackers are believed to be between the ages of 18 and 25 and have shaved heads and thin mustaches.
One had a goatee, and the other had tattoos on his neck. They were wearing Dodgers apparel at the time of the attack.
A third suspect, a female, is being sought for driving the men away from the scene in a car carrying a young boy.
Family members say Stow texted relatives during the game saying he felt threatened.
Police say they believe as many as 100 people witnessed the attack, and they are asking anyone with information to come forward.
You can donate directly to his to Stow's fundraising account by going to one of the banks listed at this site and make a deposit: www.CUSWIRL.com Act #118881
Or via your PayPal account www.PayPal.com Send funds to StowDonations@gmail.com
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