Slain Dodgers fan was security guard’s son

Associated Press

san francisco

The man who was fatally stabbed during a confrontation after a Dodgers-Giants game in San Francisco was the son of one of a Dodgers security guard, the team said Thursday.

Dodgers spokesman Jared Kaufer said Thursday that Jonathan Denver’s father worked security at Dodger Stadium.

San Francisco police say Denver, 24, was walking with his father, brother and two other people not far from the San Francisco Giants’ ballpark Wednesday night when their group exchanged words with some Giants fans who were leaving a nightclub.

The exchange turned physical and Denver, who was wearing Dodgers gear, was stabbed to death.

“There is no rational explanation for this senseless act,” the Dodgers said in a written statement. “The pain that this has caused his family and friends is unimaginable.”

Denver attended the game with his relatives but left in the eighth inning of what turned out to be a 6-4 Giants victory. His attackers did not attend the game.

Police Chief Greg Suhr said two people were in custody, and one of them will face homicide charges.

“One of the suspects that was in custody has made incriminating statements and will be charged with Mr. Denver’s homicide,” Suhr said in an afternoon briefing. “We’re still continuing the investigation in regards to what will happen the other suspect that’s in custody.”

Suhr did not release the name of the suspects in the stabbing that has punctuated a bitter rivalry between the division rivals.

The altercation several blocks from AT&T Park was the second violent confrontation between the teams’ fans in the past several years to end in death or serious injury. A Northern California paramedic and Giants fan suffered a traumatic brain injury after two men dressed in Dodgers gear attacked him following the teams’ March 31, 2011, game in Los Angeles.

In Wednesday’s attack, Denver, his father and his brother had left a bar around 11:30 p.m. when they got into a spat about the Giants-Dodgers rivalry with another group of people leaving a nightclub. One of the members of the group was wearing a Giants hat, Suhr said.

At first, no one was seriously hurt in the fight that occurred about 90 minutes after the game ended, but it picked up again a few minutes later, Suhr said. It wasn’t clear who started the second fight, Suhr said, but it ended with Denver’s stabbing.

“Obviously, this is one of the most storied rivalries in baseball. That said, and I’m a big Giants fan, there is no place at these games for violence,” Suhr said. “Nobody’s life should be at stake whether they are at the game, leaving the game, whether it’s six blocks away and an hour and a half after the game.”

Denver attended the game with his relatives but left in the eighth inning of what turned out to be a 6-4 Giants victory. His attackers did not attend the game, Suhr said.