Dodgers investigate claim that security beat fan on opening day

Fireworks soar before the Dodgers' opening day game on Thursday.

By City News Service

March 30, 2018 9:40 PM PT

The Los Angeles Dodgers are investigating claims that a fan was severely beaten by stadium security on opening day.

Dodger security and Los Angeles Police Department officers were seen in a video captured by a witness holding someone down as they took him into custody at Dodger Stadium on Thursday.

Franco Rodriguez of Norco told KABC-TV Channel 7 “there was about 10 of them completely all punching me in my face, throwing blows to the side of my stomach, kicking me.”

Rodriguez had his injuries photographed after he left a hospital Friday morning. He said that he wasn’t drunk and that it started when he was watching another fan “getting a hard time from security.”

Rodriguez told ABC he asked officers what the problem was, and the next thing he knew, he was being escorted out of the stadium. It was unclear what caused his expulsion from the game.

“My whole side of my legs are completely bruised from the kneeing that they were doing,” Rodriguez told ABC. “It’s nothing that I’m making up because they have footage. It will all show what they did to me.”

Rodriguez said he’s been a die-hard Dodger fan for nearly two decades and had spent $15,000 for his family to attend last year’s World Series. He also said he isn’t sure what he wants to do next.

“I’m definitely going to voice my opinion to them and I will hear them out, just like they need to hear me out also,” he said.

Police officers responded to what they called “a private person’s citizen’s arrest,” LAPD Officer Tony Im told City News Service.

“Security called us and we responded to the location,” Im said.

Rodriguez was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries and the responding officers took a “crime report, alleging a battery had taken place,” Im said.

Rodriguez was named as the suspect, Im said.

“The report will be eventually turned over to the Los Angeles city attorney’s office, which could decide to file a misdemeanor charge against Rodriguez,” Im said.

The team issued a statement saying “we are investigating the matter and have no further comment at this time.”