A 29-year-old man in California died Monday of injuries he suffered while in a “massive brawl” that erupted during a soccer game earlier this month.
Misael Sanchez had been playing in a morning match on July 10 in Oxnard, California when a fight erupted. Sanchez, who is from nearby Port Hueneme, was severely injured in the fight, which took place on the playing field at Oxnard High School.
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According to the Oxnard Police Department, the “large fight” broke out between members of two opposing soccer teams after a disagreement over a referee’s call on the field. The incident occurred at about 11:00 a.m local time during the early July Sunday morning amateur contest. Tensions quickly exploded on the field, and a full-on brawl ensued. Fans from the stands even joined in on the melee at one point, the cops claim.
Per the New York Post, Sanchez (pictured above) was attacked by “multiple people” in the fracas. He was unresponsive and “not breathing” when paramedics first arrived. They rushed the young man to the Ventura County Medical Center, where he was clinging to life in critical condition for the last two weeks. Sadly, on Monday, he died. His cause of death has yet to be determined, although the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office has scheduled his autopsy for Tuesday.
After the brawl, the Oxnard PD announced they detained a 46-year-old man identified as Berlin Jose Melgara in connection with the incident. At the time, he had been charged with felony battery. It is unclear if those charges will be amended now following Sanchez’s death. Cops believe there were more people involved in the attack, though. Investigators are asking witnesses who may have seen or recorded video of the fight to come forward.
In the meantime, Sanchez’s family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to help pay the costs of his funeral. A woman identified as Guadalupe Sanchez shared her condolences on the web page, writing:
“It is with a heavy heart to share the passing of our beloved son, Misael Sanchez. My family is heartbroken and still in disbelief, as we expected a bright future for him. Misael was assaulted by multiple assailants on July 10, 2022, and left in critical condition.”
And she added:
“We were not ready for this type of goodbye. At this time, we are asking for your prayers, and if you can contribute financially, it will be greatly appreciated. The donations will help cover the cost of Misael’s funeral and memorial. Thank you for the love, support and prayers.”
First created on Monday night, the fundraiser was already going viral as of Tuesday morning. If you are so inclined, you can donate to help defray memorial costs by clicking HERE. Here is the latest on the terrible situation from ABC 7 (below):
So awful.
We send our condolences to Sanchez’s family, friends, and loved ones during this terrible time. Rest In Peace…
