A Mexico fan was left with blood pouring from his chest following a horrific attack from a fellow supporter in the stands at a CONCACAF Gold Cup match.
The terrifying incident occurred during a violent brawl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, with a man left in a critical condition as a result of his injuries. In a sickening scene, the male victim was left with a visible wound on his upper collar bone area and was subsequently taken to a local hospital for further treatment.
The brawl took place over a ten-minute period during Mexico's 1-0 defeat versus Qatar according to eye-witnesses, with the seats at the stadium left soaked in blood. The victim is thought to be in a critical but stable condition in hospital currently.
Public safety personnel had initially provided medical assistance at the scene, while officers from Santa Clara Police Department (SCPD) also responded to the altercation at the scene. In footage that subsequently emerged, Mexican supporters were seen fighting among themselves, with a man having approached the melee brandishing a knife.
Shockingly, the male - who was holding the weapon above his head - then proceeded to thrust his way into the fracas before he ended up on the floor. The fight then continued before the victim was seen stumbling his way into a seat, before realising that he had been stabbed.
The man was then shown pouring water on the open wound, with the blood having gushed all over his face as well as his chest area, while he also used his Mexico shirt to try and stem the bleeding. His fellow supporters were also seen trying to point police officers towards the direction of the knifeman.
In a statement released to the media, the Santa Clara Police Department confirmed that the suspect then fled from the scene. The detectives investigating the incident have now identified a man and person of interest in connection with the incident.
The suspected knifeman is thought to be a male between the ages of 25 and 35 and has short, dark hair and was wearing a Mexico jersey. In addition, the person of interest is a woman with long, dark hair who was also wearing a Mexico shirt.
Levi’s Stadium and CONCACAF have also released a joint statement, where they stated that they are co-operating with the police's investigation into the incident. They added: “The safety of our guests is our highest priority.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Doug Gerbrandt at 408-615-4823. People can also send an anonymous message to 408-615-4847.