A recent development out of Philadelphia concerns eight men, all of whom were visiting the city to spectate a match between Club América and the Philadelphia Union. The men in question were all enjoying a post-match meal at Pat’s King of Steaks on the south side of the city when the discussion quickly devolved into an argument. The end result was two men injured and another dead, all over a soccer match.
Unfortunately, these types of incidents aren’t all too uncommon. At a moment’s notice, your life can change drastically for the worst. If such an event were to occur, competitive Philadelphia wrongful death attorneys at Soloff & Zervanos are only a call away to secure you the compensation you deserve.
Disagreement over a soccer match has recently left one person killed and two more injured in South Philadelphia. Pat’s King of Steaks is a popular cheesesteak joint in the city that has gained even more notoriety following an intense brawl between soccer fans. On one side of the argument were four men dressed in Club América apparel, a soccer team based out of the south side of Mexico City. Isidro Cortés, the man who passed away, along with his father and friend were sporting the Philadelphia Union, an MLS team that was competing against Club América in the Concacaf playoffs.
The establishment’s owner, Frank Olivieri, provided a better picture of the altercation to investigators by showing the film of the fight that he caught on security cameras around the building. The Philadelphia Police Department currently believes that neither Cortés nor those accompanying him knew the Club América men prior to their altercation at Pat’s. They appeared to be engaging in calm conversation until things “went real bad” in the words of Homicide Captain Jason Smith.
Olivieri reports hearing the scuffle in his restaurant, responding immediately to break it up. Unbeknownst to him, the men had engaged further after leaving Pat’s, taking to Wharton Street with a trash can lid and their fists. At around two o’clock in the morning, the Philadelphia Police Department received an emergency call reporting that someone was screaming in the streets. The victim turned out to be Cortés – unconscious and unresponsive. He would moments later be pronounced dead as a result of trauma to the head.
Cortés’ father and a friend were found injured by police a while later. Neither suffered life-threatening injuries and were quickly brought to stable conditions at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Investigating police believe that alcohol was involved to some degree. They added that these fights are not necessarily uncommon, but rarely escalate to this degree in well-run establishments. Residents of the area added that they know to avoid the area in the later hours of the night. In most cases, intoxication is a heavily contributing factor.
The assailants are believed to be from the New York City area and in their 20s, according to police. All of the mens’ faces were caught on cameras at Pat’s King of Steaks and fled the scene before police services could arrive. Police are requesting that anyone with a lead or potential tip inform them immediately at the Philadelphia Police Department’s homicide unit.
When disaster strikes unknowingly, your first step should be reaching out to a lawyer. At Soloff & Zervanos, we support victims of serious crime with Philadelphia personal injury attorneys. Our lawyers will do everything in their power to fight for your rights, ensuring a better future for you and your family. If interested, please call our local line at 215-929-7216 or our toll-free line at 866-597-8572 at your earliest convenience. For more options, please click here to be redirected to our contact webpage.