Dad charged with assault for shoving 2 child referees at hockey game
A Seattle man is facing misdemeanor assault charges after shoving two child referees at his son's hockey game Sunday, officials said.
The man is accused of knocking the referees -- ages 12 and 14 -- onto their backs on the ice in what police said appeared to be an "unprovoked" attack.
According to a police report obtained by ABC News, the man claimed he had "acted in defense of his son" after an altercation with a player on the opposing team.
He told police, "his son was punched and kicked for about thirty seconds" by the other athlete "and the referees did nothing to stop the assault."
Police have not publicly named the man, saying he has not been booked into jail.
The man left the rink before officers responded to the incident, but was pulled over at a traffic light shortly after.
He claimed he went onto the ice "to defend his son and to break up the fight," but according to the police report, "there was no fight at the time and the game was stopped."
The man "walked directly towards one referee and shoved him with enough force to knock him onto his back," the report states.
There were numerous witnesses, several of whom took video of the incident, police said. The Pacific Northwest Amateur Hockey Association shared video of the incident on social media.
The Seattle Fire Department responded to the scene to treat the teens, who complained of pain to their hips and elbows, but neither of whom required hospitalization. Both were wearing protective gear at the time of the incident, police said.
The man told police he had not been aware "that the referee was a juvenile and said he would participate as needed for the investigation."
In a statement on social media, Pacific Northwest Amateur Hockey Association President Jody Carpenter said the organization was investigating the incident.
"The video we are sharing is difficult to watch, but it is crucial that we confront the seriousness of what happened," Carpenter said. "This incident serves as a stark reminder of why maintaining a safe and respectful environment in our sport is so essential."
Carpenter said there is "absolutely no place in our sport for the kind of egregious and outrageous behavior" exhibited in the video.
"We ask all members of our hockey community to remember that respect for officials and sportsmanship are fundamental to our sport," Carpenter added. "If we fail to uphold these standards, we fail the game itself."
