A Michigan referee was pelted with garbage thrown by a high school assistant basketball coach, a player, and fans upset about his calls after losing a playoff game.
The chaos erupted moments after Benton Harbor High School lost to Buchanan 39-36 in the district semifinals in Dowagiac, about 130 miles outside of Detroit, on Feb. 26, WNDU reported.
Startling video obtained by the outlet shows the referee, who was not named, getting hit on top of the head by a basketball thrown from the Benton Harbor bench area, which hit him with enough force to make him stumble and reach out to the scorer’s table for support.
The chaos erupted moments after Benton Harbor High School lost to Buchanan 39-36 in the district semifinals in Dowagiac, about 130 miles outside of Detroit, on Feb. 26. WNDU 16 News Now
The gray-haired official begins to stagger away for safety but is then pelted in the face with a water bottle, causing him to lose balance and fall onto the court.
He appears to roll around on the ground in pain as two police officers and others rush over to block any further projectiles from hitting him.
The ref was then pulled up off the court and was seen leaning on a cop and another man while they rushed him out of the gymnasium for his safety.
However, the Dowagiac Police Department told WNDU that the attack didn’t stop when he exited the gym.
As the ref was in the hallway trying to leave the building, he was hit with a notebook. It’s unclear if the official sustained any serious injuries during the assault.
The gray-haired official begins to stagger away for safety but is then pelted in the face with a water bottle, causing him to lose balance and fall onto the court. WNDU 16 News Now
Police say the unidentified assistant coach, a juvenile player, and two adult spectators were outraged by the official calling 22 fouls against Benton Harbor — compared to Buchanan’s 8 fouls.
Benton Harbor Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Kelvin Butts confirmed to the outlet “an assistant basketball coach was involved in the postgame incident with an official,” and he has since been fired.
Butts said that the district is “actively reviewing” the student athlete involved to see if they violated any “policies, procedures, and the Student Code of Conduct.”
“Benton Harbor Area Schools District and the MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association) are working together to resolve community and staff concerns, with a focus on accountability for all parties,” the superintendent said.
The ref was then pulled up off the court and was seen leaning on a cop and another man while they rushed him out of the gymnasium for his safety. WNDU 16 News Now
Dowagiac police said they plan to charge the individuals involved in the attack on the ref and have brought the case to Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz to investigate, according to WSBT.
Law enforcement is also investigating another report of a woman assaulting another spectator in the stands during the chaos.
“Dowagiac Police would like to remind all students, student-athletes, coaches, and fans to display good sportsmanship, so tonight’s game can be enjoyed in a safe environment by all who attend,” the department wrote in a news release announcing the investigation.
Dowagiac police said they plan to charge the individuals involved in the attack on the ref and have brought the case to Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz to investigate. Dowagiac Police Department / Facebook
The Post has reached out to the department for comment.
The assault on the Michigan ref happened days before violence broke out at another high school basketball playoff game in Pennsylvania.
At least two adult men were escorted out of the gym after a wild brawl during a playoff basketball game between Uniontown and Meadville on March 7.
“I’ve never seen anything this ugly break out in person,” an announcer for the game said in a video posted to the USH Talk YouTube channel. “This was really a shame.”
