Violence, Drinking Ruin Stadium Outings

Re “2 Held in Shooting in Dodger Stadium Lot,” Sept. 21: The shooting was actually initiated inside the stadium; my 19-year-old son and I witnessed three physical altercations from our seats during the game. The ample and intensive showing of security at Dodger Stadium is inept when it comes to the abusive use of alcohol sold there. Most altercations between these intoxicated patrons are not dealt with firmly by the Dodger staff and its security. I can hear staff simply pleading with the intoxicated individual to behave and enjoy the game. By this phase of their intoxication, they are not even watching the game but creating a nuisance of themselves.

I suggest that the security forces at Dodger Stadium call experienced members of Alcoholics Anonymous and get suggestions from these experts in the field of alcoholism on how to jointly prevent and deter the mentality of getting “loaded” at our stadium. At the end of the seventh inning of this game, I told my son that these fights were going to overflow into the parking lot and we don’t know how many people have guns, so “let’s get the hell out of here.”

Ron Cerecedes

San Dimas

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Two years ago, I took a pal and his sons to a Dodger game. Sometime in the fourth inning, three gangbangers sneaked into the seats behind us, drinking, cursing and shouting abuse. When we asked them to quiet down for the sake of the kids, they threatened us. It took many trips to Dodger security to get them tossed, and even then the security folks told us to leave the game in a crowd since they couldn’t guarantee our safety in the lot. I wrote to the Dodgers; I heard nothing. I have never been to a Dodger game since.

On Friday night, while a young man was being killed at Dodger Stadium, I was at the Hawaii-UNLV game in Las Vegas and counted seven brawls during the course of the game. I think my days of attending live sporting events are about over.

Paul Jackson

Chatsworth